Ohio State football assistant coach Zach Smith, years ago, dubbed his wide receivers group "Zone 6." He even made a logo for his group that has been part of Smith's Twitter avatar.
Fast forward to Thursday, when former UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, a projected top three pick in June's NBA draft, unveiled his signature show--the first major product of the "Big Baller Brand,"--the brainchild of Lonzo's father, the outspoken and brash LaVar Ball. The $495 price tag on the shoe drew the national conversation but it was the logo that caught the attention of Smith. Why?---The Big Baller Brand logo bears a striking resemblance to Smith's "Zone 6." Here's a look at the logos and some of the reaction from Smith and Buckeye Nation.
Whether Ball was aware of Smith's "Zone 6" logo is unclear but Smith had some fun with the situation, by rewriting his Twitter bio.
Perhaps Smith will have to negotiate a settlement with the Ball family over the use of his logo. How much that would be worth remains to be seen. LaVar Ball's tactics have been successful at drawing attention, but the $495 price tag was soundly ridiculed on social media. Stay tuned.