Alan Foster who cofounded the Big Baller Brand is dragging the Balls to court once again.
via: Bleacher Report
Per TMZ Sports, Alan Foster’s lawsuit against LaMelo, LaVar, Tina Ball and Puma alleges he hasn’t received millions of dollars for his work with the apparel brand.
Foster alleges he came up with LaMelo’s “MB1” line when the star guard was a teenager and filed “several” trademarks for it. The MB1 was Ball’s first signature shoe released by Puma in December 2021.
Puma signed Ball away from the family company in October 2020 to a $100 million deal. The pact was finalized one month before he was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets.
Foster’s lawsuit alleges Ball and Puma infringed on his trademarks with the creation of the MB1 shoe:
“LaMelo was instrumental in creating his first signature shoe with Big Baller Brand. He was fully aware of the existence of the LaMelo Trademarks—he helped design them!
“He knew that his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was called the ‘MB1’ and that the name was protected by federal trademark. Yet, despite his knowledge of all of this, LaMelo willfully and deliberately chose to name the signature shoe he created and designed with PUMA the ‘MB1’ in violation of the LaMelo Trademarks.”
Foster alleges he sustained more than $200 million in damages.
The Big Baller Brand was founded in 2016 by Foster and LaVar Ball. Lonzo Ball, LaVar’s oldest son, told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Paula Lavigne in March 2019 he severed ties with Foster over concerns he has a criminal past.
Lonzo also said he believed Foster “used his access to my business and personal finances to enrich himself” when roughly $1.5 million from Lonzo’s personal and business accounts went missing.
Foster previously filed a civil lawsuit against LaVar Ball in October 2019, alleging his former business partner embezzled more than $2.5 million from their companies.
