LaVar Ball said Wednesday that if Nike, Under Armour or Adidas wants to make a deal with his Big Baller Brand now, the asking price is $3 billion. He also explained that he sees no need to market his products to women.
In a wide-ranging, sometimes contentious interview with Fox Sports 1's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," LaVar Ball reiterated that he wants his son, NBA prospect Lonzo Ball, to play only for the Los Angeles Lakers and revealed he has sold 400 to 500 pairs of $495 ZO2 shoes since they launched two weeks ago.
Ball was asked about dealing with the big shoe companies, and he said they will regret not making a deal with him after his son is picked by the Lakers.
"Now that Lonzo's headed to Los Angeles, what they should have done is give me a billion dollars and let me be on my way," he said.
Told that number was unrealistic, Ball replied, "unrealistic to you."
"Now you know ... if they want to talk to me now, it just went up to $3 billion. Triple B's -- billion, billion, billion," he said, adding: "That's the only way they going to come at me. I'm already in the building. I don't need them for nothing, as you can tell."
A source confirmed to ESPN's Darren Rovell that Ball's asking price with the big shoe companies was indeed $1 billion.
"If they want to talk to me now, it just went up to $3 billion. Triple B's -- billion, billion, billion." LaVar Ball, on asking price of big shoe companies if they want to make a deal
Fox Sports reporter Kristine Leahy, whom Ball earlier referred to as a "hater" and told to "stay in your lane" after she pressed him on the number of shoes sold, argued that for Big Baller Brand to be appealing to the big shoe companies, he would have to market his products to women. Ball scoffed at the idea.
"Yeah, if you have a women's company. ... We're talking about Big Baller Brand," he said.
Later in the interview, after several tense exchanges with Leahy, Ball said: "I never disrespect women, but I tell you what, if you act like that, something's coming to you and it's OK."
When Leahy asked whether he was threatening her, Ball said: "See how she's trying to turn the words. I would never threaten you." Leahy pointed out that Ball said something was coming to her, to which he replied: "I don't know what it is. I'm not a psychic."
Leahy later addressed the interview with Ball.
Ball, meanwhile, reiterated Wednesday that his son will work out only for the Lakers and that the team will make the playoffs if it selects Lonzo with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft.
LaVar Ball explained why he doesn't believe the Boston Celtics, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, would be a fit for his son.
"If Lonzo goes to Boston, he turns into a 2. ... Lonzo's always going to be a point guard. He can play any position, but his true position is point guard and Boston has so many guards, you don't need that guy," he said.
LaVar Ball did say, however, that if the Celtics pick his son and he wants to play in Boston, he won't stand in the way.
"Here's the thing: I prefer Zo to go to the Lakers, but if Boston were to choose him and Lonzo wants to play basketball, then guess what, he doesn't care where he goes," he said.
Whichever team drafts Lonzo Ball, one thing is clear: LaVar Ball won't be going away.
"Dad is never going to go away. I'm always going to be his dad. Just like people say, I need to fall back. I don't walk behind my son, I walk on the side of him, so I'm always going to be on the side," he said.