If you haven’t heard the name "LaVar Ball" before this week, you won’t forget him now.

For those who are unfamiliar with the basketball world, LaVar Ball is father of three exceptional sons: LaMelo and LiAngelo Ball, high school basketball players for Chino Hills High School in California, and Lonzo Ball, the freshman star from UCLA who is setting out for the NBA draft. Lonzo is expected to be draft top three, with a high probability of being the number one pick overall. Being a player who is so highly sought after inevitably means a big payday for the player and his family.

Enter LaVar Ball, the man who is no stranger to saying things that garner national attention, such as his claim of being able to beat Michael Jordan (arguably the greatest basketball player to have ever lived) in a game of one-on-one. He has now recaptured the attention of the sports world after his announcement of his shoe brand creating a pair of Lonzo shoes for the measly price of $495 for a standard pair; for those inclined to something a bit more high-end, an autographed pair of the shoes are selling for a reasonable $995. No worries, though: if this seems too steep of a price for these shoes, the Big Baller Brand (yes, that’s the real name of his brand) also offers a pair of sandals with the Lonzo logo for only $220 (no, there is no decimal missing there).

LaVar’s announcement of these products comes on the heels of his failed meetings with Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, companies that refused to offer Lonzo a shoe deal because of Lavar's insistence on full partnership.

The failed meetings with these major companies, as well as LaVar’s extreme over-pricing of the shoes, have led many people to believe he is negatively affecting Lonzo’s future; and quite frankly, it seems that this could be the case. LaVar has become the laughingstock of the sports community, being criticized by numerous individuals in the NBA for his outrageously priced shoes and his extreme comments. Lonzo’s achievements as a basketball player and his potential to be a super star in the NBA is being overshadowed by his father’s larger-than-life personality – and all the negative attention that comes with it.

Yet, is it possible that LaVar Ball’s antics aren't so crazy as they seem? Could it be that the Big Baller Brand can be to NBA shoe companies like Uber was to taxis, as he so boldly claimed? One phrase that comes to mind when seeing all the negative publicity that LaVar Ball has gotten is “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” — if this is true, then LaVar has certainly taken great steps in making his brand known. And while the failed deals with Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are glaring, there might be a possibility that these companies just don't have the vision or the foresight that LaVar Ball has.

Will Big Baller Brand be the next Jordan brand for basketball shoes? Is LaVar Ball actually right about his beliefs, and will he become one of the wealthiest men in the world with his entrepreneurship? Or he is going to crash and burn, embarrassing himself and his family with his failed exploit? I suppose the sports world will just have to wait and see.

One thing is for certain though: LaVar Ball is a name that is going to be familiar for the coming months, whether we like it or not.