Watch: LaMelo Ball unveils Scooby-Doo-inspired EV for Hornets' game ahead of Puma MB.04 ‘Mystery Machine’ shoe launch
Charlotte Hornets All-Star guard LaMelo Ball channeled his inner "Shaggy Rogers" when he rolled into their home game on Thursday in a Scooby-Doo-inspired EV. It was in line with the launch of the latest iteration of his shoe line for Puma.
The 23-year-old, who is also a dog lover, drove into the Spectrum Center for their game against the Detroit Pistons in a Hummer designed as "The Mystery Machine" from the popular Scooby-Doo cartoons to promote the release of his Scooby-Doo x Puma MB.04s, which is scheduled to drop on Nov. 27.
LaMelo Ball wore the colorful Puma shoes during the warm-ups before changing into his familiar bright orange kicks for the game itself.
The Scooby-Doo inspiration that LaMelo Ball had ahead of their game against the Pistons set the tone for what was a good game that ended in the Hornets winning 123-121 in overtime.
Ball had himself a ball game, finishing with 35 points, nine assists, six rebounds and a steal in 33 minutes. He complimented well the career game of sophomore guard Brandon Miller, who had 38 points, going 8-of-12 from deep, to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
The win improved the Hornets to 6-9 for the season. They next play on the road on Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
LaMelo Ball grateful to Puma for allowing him to express individuality through his sneakers
LaMelo Ball is happy to be affiliated with Puma which allows him to express his individuality through signature sneakers.
The one-time NBA All-Star began his partnership with Puma in 2021, which was rooted on the shared vision of true collaboration and being bold and bright.
"I live by the motto "One of One," which means I am not like everyone else. I stand out as being different and I'm always 100% myself. That motto was really inspiration behind [the decision to sign with Puma]," said Ball (via Sports Illustrated) when he inked the deal with the shoe brand.
His latest shoe is the Puma MB.04 which features wraparound rubber layers and a unique technical fabric exterior for effective on-court play.
Apart from Ball, Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana), Kyle Kuzma (Washington), RJ Barrett (Toronto) and Michael Porter Jr. (Denver) are also signed with Puma in the NBA as well as Breanna Stewart (New York) and Skylar Diggins-Smith (Seattle) in the WNBA.