LaMelo Ball officially signs multi-year endorsement deal with Puma

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Potential No. 1 pick LaMelo Ball has officially signed a multi-year shoe deal with Puma ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft.

MORE: What is LaMelo Ball's ceiling in the NBA?

"I am really excited to be joining the Puma family," Ball said on Wednesday, per ESPN's Nick DePaula. "I believe the brand is the perfect partner for me because Puma will allow me to just be myself. I want to be 100% authentic, whether that's playing basketball or showing off my personal style, and that's what I want to do with Puma."

The 19-year-old joins Puma's growing stable of NBA players, including R.J. Barrett, Michael Porter Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Marvin Bagley III, and Marcus Smart, with the youngest Ball brother immediately becoming one of the key faces of the brand, which has made a splash in basketball in recent years.

By signing with Puma, Ball has moved on from the Big Baller Brand, the apparel company launched by his father LaVar. His older brother, New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, who recently switched representation to Klutch Sports, has also opted to move on and is currently a sneaker free agent.

LAMELO: 'I feel like I can play on any team' 

Ball impressed in his lone season in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), averaging 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.7 steals with the Illawarra Hawks, going on to be named Rookie of the Year. 

The 2020 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on November 18.

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Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor for The Sporting News.