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Retiring Kingston/Forty Fort firefighter honored for 44 years of service

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Wilkes gets $1.65 million bequest to fund experiences outside the classroom

<p>Looks like ex-UCLA guard Lonzo Ball will begin his NBA career without an endorsement contract from one of the big shoe companies.</p><p>ESPN&#8217;sDarren Rovell reports that Nike, Under Armour and Adidas have informed Ball&#8217;s father, LaVar, that they have no interest in doing a shoe deal with Lonzo.</p><p>According to Rovell, the three companies balked at LaVar Ball&#8217;s demand that the companies license &#8220;his upstart Big Baller Brand from him.&#8221; LaVar Ball also showed the companies a shoe prototype he wanted for his son&#8217;s first shoe.</p><p>Big Baller Brand is an apparel company started by LaVar Bell. Right now, the company sells t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts.</p><p>In the past, LaVar Ball demanded a $1 billion shoe contract for Lonzo and his younger brothers LiAngelo and LaMelo.</p><p>George Raveling, Nike&#8217;s director of international basketball, called LaVar Ball, &#8220;the worst thing to happen to basketball in the last hundred years.&#8221;</p><p>Kevin Draper of Deadspin has a different take. &#8220;Why shouldn&#8217;t someone take on the Big Time Sneaker Brands, and their assumptions about who is marketable and how?&#8221; Draper writes. &#8220;If Steph Curry can singlehandedly raise Under Armour&#8217;s fortunes, why can&#8217;t Lonzo Ball do that with a Chinese shoe company, or a company that doesn&#8217;t yet exist?</p><p>Lonzo Ball, whose college career ended with UCLA&#8217;s loss to Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis, is expected to be a top three pick in this summer&#8217;s NBA draft.</p><p>Draft Express currently has Ball at No. 2 in its 2017 mock draft behind Markelle Fultz of Washington.</p><p>That same mock has ex-Kentucky players De&#8217;Aaron Fox going at No. 5, Malik Monk at No. 7 and Bam Adebayo at No. 31.</p><p>Ball averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 7.6 assists for the Bruins last season. UCLA beat UK 97-92 in Lexington on Dec. 5 before losing to the Cats 86-75 on March 24 in Indy.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, right, shakes hands with his father LaVar. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Lonzo-Lavar.jpg</photo0><caption0>UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, right, shakes hands with his father LaVar. </caption0><photoCredit0>Mark J. Terrill | AP file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By John Clay</p><p>Lexington Herald-Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Lonzo Ball isn’t getting a $1 billion shoe contract after all