Investing in Lonzo Ball's Big Baller Shoes

twoface41face on 12/05/2017 - 22:47
Last edited 13/05/2017 - 08:34

So, I've saved up a bit of money and am sick of the interest rates the banks have to offer so I'm looking around for alternative investments. As an NBA fan I've been following the Ball family and was thinking about pre-ordering the Z02 wet shoes.

They are going to be autographed and was thinking the yield may be a lot higher than what the banks have to offer. The shoes are even encased and can light up. They will cost $1450ish when taking into consideration shopping. I will have to have to pay the tax on top. I'm banking that Lonzo will make it big in the NBA (look at how his dad talks about him). I know Ozbargain usually gives really good advice so I was hoping for your advice on the matter.

Thanks heaps,
Twoface41face

Edit 13/5 8:35: I think I've almost talked myself into it unless somebody has somebody can persuades me that the downside is greater.

Financial

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 12/05/2017 - 23:09
    +5

    you should double down on them

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:11
      +1

      I was actually thinking about getting a few as it says that they were limited edition. Were you getting serious?

      • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2017 - 11:50
        +6

        Sorry, I didn't realise this wasn't a trolll post.

        No, I don't think you should go anywhere near this. The probability of realising a return I would guess would be very low. Reason being that the shoe market is dominated by Nike and for you to get the ROI you'd need this dude to be GOAT level. I mean, do early gen Jordans even go for this much? Also, time to take to realise this a return would span beyond his retirement, which could be 10-20years

        • gimli on 14/05/2017 - 10:30

          It is a troll.
          A very good troll

          In all fairness I don;t know if this is a serious post or not. IF it is then you need to clearly document what the risk is. I.e. if things don't go to plan i could lose $x. The chance of that happening is y% based on etc. If things go to plan i have a z% chance of making $w.
          In addition, if this somthing you enjoy then perhaps you may be willing to accept a slightly worse risk /reward ratio.

          I know you mentioned you have invested in shares. This is still an alternative learn more about the share market and see if you can improve your return. Again if it is not something which interests you / you don't enjoy it probably not worth doing.

          TLDR - It's hard to find an once investment option with a clearly better risk/reward ratio than something else. If you enjoy something/interested in something maybe that is something you can invest in.

        • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 11:32
          +1

          @Gimli: but I also just enjoy anything basketball related anyway and the shoes look great. Worst case scenario is that I have a couple of pairs of nice looking basketball shoes that I can still wear. Best case scenario I've made my investment several times over.

        • gimli on 14/05/2017 - 11:55
          +2

          @twoface41face:
          cool. looks like you have your answer unless there is something else you want to do with that money.!

  • Diji1 on 12/05/2017 - 23:19
    +4

    I wouldn't touch it if I was investing. But I'm boring.

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:12

      Thanks for responding. Why would you not touch them?

      • gimli on 14/05/2017 - 10:30
        +13

        Finger prints would reduce the value

        • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 10:55

          What if they're lonzo's fingerprints?

        • [Deactivated] on 14/05/2017 - 16:30

          @twoface41face: don't think lonzo would be anywhere near that Chinese factory that they make and shop it from

        • cheng2008 on 14/05/2017 - 16:46
          +1

          @ddp3: I'm sure he had to touch each one to sign it.

  • 2jzzzz on 12/05/2017 - 23:21
    +8

    I've got some snake oil I'm selling……

    • xoom on 13/05/2017 - 07:20
      +3

      may introduce the op to this nigerian prince stuck in an oil platform. he needs help taking his money out off nigeria. for a small amount of dollars sent to him he would give a sizable share of his wealth.

      • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 11:33
        -2

        Nigerian prince posts are terribly overused and lame now

  • Fiximol on 12/05/2017 - 23:22
    +1

    Better off backing the cavs for the title at 4.00 odds if you are going to take a punt.

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:15

      Wow, I didn't realise that Vegas was backing the Warriors that strongly. Why wouldn't you bet on the kid? He plays incredible basketball at the moment and you can't teach his skill. Yes, there are external factors such as injury, but look at ball handlers who don't depend on athleticism such as Kyrie. Stuffed up knees and he's still balling.

      • Fiximol on 13/05/2017 - 10:16
        +3

        Because the shoe is not a limited enough release (we are talking about single digits released) to be a collector's item even if he gets big enough. I guess if no one buys his shoes, and they stop production (leading to a very limited run), then he blows up into the stratosphere after faltering for a few years, it would work. He would need an extremely unusual trajectory for the shoe to appreciate in value.

        Also, if you are basing your judgement of Lonzo's ability on what his dad spruiks, just remember his dad averaged 2.2 points per game in college and claimed he would "kill" MJ in one on one. It's one thing to sell your son's basketball ability and build his brand - I completely agree that his price for basketball shoes is expensive but there are other shoes that are even more expensive - but Rome wasn't built in a day. To expect that people will buy what you sell when you cram it down their throat with outlandish claims seems foolhardy, especially the shoe simply does not look that good :P

        You have to wonder whether Lavar ball's antics have cost his son(s) a future i.e. will Lonzo's (and his brothers) relationship with his father make him toxic to teams - so far they have officially said that it won't, but the fact that it is even a topic is telling. Lavar ball's style is very extreme, you either love him for his complete disregard for reality or hate him for his unfounded arrogance (he is actually a lot like the current POTUS in this regard). Americans can embrace people who talk the talk but they have to walk the walk - and Lavar has proven that he cannot and Lonzo hasn't even taken a step. He didn't dominate and win the NCAA championship whilst averaging a triple double - he actually hasn't done much that no one else has. What makes him so special compared to the countless former all-stars?

        • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 11:43

          They reckon there haven't been many shoes sold. I think I'll wait for the draft to finish. If he goes to the Lakers then we could be looking at a higher appreciation rate. Magic Johnson's trading cards that have been autographed go for $300- $400, and I know I am betting on Lonzo becoming big time but if I were a risk-averse I would be leaving my money in the bank anyway. LeBron also wasn't able to make it big in clutch moments to start his career but he's developed into a clutch player, there's no reason he can't do the same. Besides for his age he is an absolutely sensational player with lots of skills that even players in the NBA don't have. Once again I know that this is a risky investment but at the end of the day, the worst in the worst case scenario I have some cool looking basketball shoes that I can play with. If I decide to purchase issues I will view them at sink cost and forward. I really appreciate your input if there's anything else that I should consider before going ahead please let me know.

        • Fiximol on 14/05/2017 - 12:37

          @twoface41face: You have the right attitude towards this as a pair of shoes; that is, if you like the shoe and the player and can afford it, by all means, buy the shoes and enjoy them. However I think, at best, it will be a questionable monetary investment.

          It would be exciting for the league if he does develop as promised. The point guard position is extremely stacked at the moment across the league - I honestly think it would be better for him to drop to the Knicks than to go to the Lakers who are in the same division as Clipper (Paul) and GSW (Curry and friends). Moreover, Lakers already have D'Angelo Russell and if ball gets drafted by the lakers he would have to battle hard for minutes.

        • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 14:06

          @Fiximol: going into the topic of basketball now, the Knicks have displayed nothing but ineptitude so far and have a few more years of failure. On the contrary the Lakers have incredible upside and potential so be contenders within a 5 year timeframe.

        • Fiximol on 14/05/2017 - 20:32

          @twoface41face: The Knicks actually have comparable, if not better, assets than the lakers. They have a top 15 player (Melo) who they can flip to a desparate enough contender for some assets and a potential superstar (Porzingis). The Knicks is also guarenteed to own their pick this year! More importantly, Ball will probably get major minutes for the Knicks, which he may not with the Lakers who have Clarkson and Russell in the backcourt already - both young prospects that they would like to develop.

          It's a matter of fit. He also faces slightly worse competition (Knicks is in the same division as Brooklyn and Philly) so he has a better chance to put up numbers than on Lakers where he would be playing vs Curry or Paul in 10% of their games (Phoenix also has Eric Bledsoe, a solid tier 2 point guard)

          Still, if he is good he can develop anywhere.

  • garetz on 12/05/2017 - 23:37
    +3

    Depends on your investment portfolio, if you have 100s of thousands of dollars, and you want a very high risk, low yield investment that could potentially be worth alot in 10-20 years, buy it. If you have $1450 dollars to invest, and this will be your only investment, sounds like you arent really investing at all, but gambling.

    • xoom on 13/05/2017 - 07:24
      +5

      whats wrong with getting into westpac to work. then dropping 80 large on a high yielding investment car to impress the future co workers?

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:19
      -1

      No, I have about 15k in shares that are so far reasonably diversified. Well, to be fair the share market is also speculation-based in the short and medium term considering the political landscape. I know that it carries higher risk but if you look at true first editions such as Harry Potter books going for up to 30k, it seems like a risk worth taking.

  • jv on 12/05/2017 - 23:40
    +3

    Can you just buy Futures in Lonzo's Big Balls ? Less risk.

    • scrimshaw on 13/05/2017 - 00:42

      Dibs on his frozen sperm. Then I'll make a clone army of professional basketballers with his DNA and enter the NBA, will win me big money.

      Best investment idea, I must say.

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:20
      -1

      They're are private company. Dad owns all of the shares. But that was an awesome thought mate.

      Cheers.

    • gimli on 14/05/2017 - 10:31

      Good thinking. Not sure why you got negged

  • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2017 - 02:14

    buy some NMDs and sell them in a year

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:21

      They look hideous lol. Are you trolling? Why?

  • airal3rt on 13/05/2017 - 03:09
    +4

    This could be one of the worst investment ideas I've ever heard.

    Have you seen Lonzo's shot mechanics? That slow-ass funky release might have worked in college but it's going to be a real problem in the NBA against more athletic defenders, especially when shooting across his body and on pull-ups. There's no guarantee he'll be even a top 10 player at his position let alone a genuine superstar that people will be lining up to pay though the nose for his old merchandise.

    As for his father's confidence in him, Lavar Ball is pretty much unhinged from reality, possibly even suffering some kind of manic disorder. Seriously, the dude averaged 2ppg in high school and says he would kill prime Michael Jordan. I would place zero stock in his opinion on literally anything.

    The whole "Big Baller Brand" thing is pretty cringey too, it's straight out of the 90's and will make it less likely a market exists for them in the future.

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:28

      Lonzo did add the fact that he'd call foul every time that Michael got the ball. I haven't seen him play, but if he can post and he was athletic as the media played him out to be, then why not? He sounded a lot more athletic and fitter than people give him credit for.

      *Of course I call, bulldust but you know, if I called foul on Jordan every time he got the ball, I'd eventually win too.

      Hmmmm, I think LeBron and Michael are the people you can use as the poster boys four those who changes their shot mechanics Midwest through their careers. Also, Shawn Marion Aldo has a fantastic career.

  • xoom on 13/05/2017 - 07:22
    +1

    op. start planning your retirement. you are onto a winner.

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:30

      Appreciate the sarcasm. I'm asking for opinions for me to make a judgement call. But I'd also like a bit of justification if you could spare the time. Thanks.

      • xoom on 13/05/2017 - 09:49
        +2

        ok. you want to be taken seriously? you want to invest in shoes of a player who may be the next big thing in the nba. lets say you bought the shoes for $150. you keep it for 10 years and lonzo ball is the biggest name in the nba. how much do you think your shoes would have been worth then?

        $200, $500, $1000???

        and if he flops or gets injured? and you dont wear the shoes for 2 or three years. then you got absolutely no use out of them shoes if they start to deteriorate.

        frankly your plan is no better than taking your $150 to the casino.

        for the record every dad talks big of their kid so they can drive the asking price of contracts up. so that should not be your basis for doing what plan on doing.

        • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 11:54
          -2

          First things first I know that this is a risk investment If I Were a risk adverse I would be leaving my money in the bank. I am an avid NBA fan so if the shoes don't appreciate I still have a few really cool pairs of shoes that I can wear. If I lose at the casino I literally have- so your point is rendered slightly less full.

          In terms of appreciation, the Jordan 1 is currently seeking for $30000. Whether they're going to be sold is another story but whatever. If we look at more recent times, even LeBron, who's career is still active, has prior shoes selling upwards of $6000. That's going 7 years back. I know that the standpoint I'm not hedging myself injuries or his potential lack of character (even if he seems exceptionally mature right now), but the potential returns seems pretty attractive if he does well. Keep in mind, he would have been the number one pick (almost certainly) in a loaded draft if his dad wasn't babbling.

  • EightImmortals on 13/05/2017 - 08:04

    Look into licensed investment companies instead.

    Wilson, Morphic etc You can simply buy them on market through your etrade, commsec, whatever account.

    http://wilsonassetmanagement.com.au/

    http://www.morphicasset.com/ (fairly new but the peeps have a good record)

    Plenty more around if you start looking, check out Hotcopper or Topstcks for info. The problem with collectables is that they sit in a box until the value goes up (IF it goes up) and then you have wait until another person comes along who wants to buy them.

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 08:32

      Hmmmm, yeah I'm aware of the illiquidity but for the foreseeable future I won't be in any need of the cash. That's one of the reasons I'm giving this serious thought.

  • [Deactivated] on 13/05/2017 - 09:07
    +2

    I bought a few different pairs of Air Jordan 4, 5 and 6 and others back in the day, enough that the 6s were pretty old before I started wearing them. The sole glue had perished and the soles of both fell off first day (flapped around like castinets). The urethane perishes and the glue isn't designed for storage.

  • frondono on 13/05/2017 - 09:12
    +1

    If you're going speculative, I don't think you can beat cryptocurrency at the moment.

    http://coinmarketcap.com/charts/

    • EightImmortals on 13/05/2017 - 09:46

      Good advice. If only I could understand it…..

      I mean sure, I get the principle behind it but as far as the day to day buying and using goes I have NFI. I even have a bitcoin wallet and still don't know how to fund it and use it. :)

      • frondono on 13/05/2017 - 11:28

        coinjar & poloniex should be able to get you started.

  • EightImmortals on 13/05/2017 - 12:42

    K thanks. :)

  • Mika1234 on 13/05/2017 - 14:28

    Given the price, it looks like the brand has already factored in this kid becoming great. How much did early jordans cost, inflation adjusted? Guaranteed nowhere near this

    • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 15:29

      That's fair. I know there's some hyperbole here, but collector's items such as limited releases by Hermes, Rolex that are priced ridiculously but continue to appreciate in price. Jordan's were the first shoe to be priced over $100 and people that it was ridiculously priced at the time.

      • xoom on 13/05/2017 - 17:23

        you are forgetting hermes and rolex are established brands. their quality has to be up there to maintain the asking price.

        • twoface41face on 13/05/2017 - 17:43

          No, I'm not forgetting that. I said that the argument was hyperbolic in nature. With the Jordan shoes, they were the first basketball shoes Price over a hundred dollars and the first editions are worth that price many times over now.

        • xoom on 13/05/2017 - 18:04

          @twoface41face: jordan is one of the greatest of all time.

          something you are hedging your bet is Lonzo ends up like jordan. sadly for every one jordan there are hundreds if not thousands would be whose career was more fizzle than a bang.

  • tsunamisurfer on 13/05/2017 - 18:14
    +1

    Lavar Ball believes he could have taken Michael Jordan in his prime. It's best to avoid the Ball family.

  • T1OOO on 14/05/2017 - 12:48

    Limited editions to what ever they can sell. Lol

    • xoom on 14/05/2017 - 13:10

      if they stop making them. thats limited edition. so practically every consumer product is limited edition.

      so if them shoes sell for $100. and lonzo makes it big. them shoes later sells for $30,000.

      i best buy 1000 shoes now and start prepping for my retirement.

      gonna make it rain son!!

  • ols108 on 14/05/2017 - 13:01
    +1

    Nice try LaVar

  • Cluster on 14/05/2017 - 13:30
    +1

    No one can predict which collectibles will appreciate in value, and which will plummet. I remember basketball cards in the early 1990s. School friends worked extra jobs to buy whole series, believing they were sitting on a goldmine. 'This card from 1984 is now worth $1000!' they would tell me, thinking they would strike it rich too. 25 years later all these 'collectible' cards are virtually worthless.

    Similar thing happened with shoes. Reebok pumps appeared and kids went mental for them. They cost more than $200, which is about $500 adjusted for inflation today. They were so prized back then that kids would sell second hand pairs to each other. I wonder what they're worth now… a quick check on eBay shoes new pairs are selling for around the same price as 25 years ago, so the owners have lost a bucket load of money. Oops.

    • xoom on 14/05/2017 - 13:56
      +1

      why you gotta ruin this thread with logic and sound reasoning? 😎

      • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 14:09

        How rude, hey?

        No, I completely agree with Cluster. However, certain collectibles retain value better than others. Certain shoes, certain staple items in fashion, books and anything with history attached to it has a stronger chance to appreciate. I think this is one of those things.

  • Samsungnote10 on 14/05/2017 - 14:54

    Just because daddy says he is going to be big. Doesn't mean he is.

    This is different to the dad asked $1bn for his sons sponsorship contract right?

  • Lord Fart Bucket on 14/05/2017 - 18:19

    Thought it said "invest in Lonzo's balls" and wondered if I was on the wrong forum again…

    • twoface41face on 14/05/2017 - 20:12

      Maybe I should do that too. Get him a good solid cup to protect my future investment 😀😀

  • adn on 14/05/2017 - 20:19

    do it mate. look at bitcoin.

    • Cluster on 14/05/2017 - 21:15

      I remember reading about bitcoin when it first crossed US$1 per bitcoin in early 2011. It's now $1825.

  • youmademethisway on 15/05/2017 - 10:21

    Putting aside the fact that this is most likely a troll post…

    This kid will have to become Lebron tier for you to achieve any real return on these. They're unbelievably overpriced to begin with. Had they gone for a more aggressive price point and flogged these off for <$100 I could see potentially decent returns if he were to blow up.

    Not only that but the shoes are ugly as sin. Rip off Kobes with an imitation Adidas Boost that looks like the same shit Skechers use. Yuck.

    Sidenote, I still don't think his game will translate to the NBA. He doesn't have a quick first step and he will have trouble getting into the paint, not to mention that awful shot release that will get blocked far more often in the NBA. I could see De'Aaron Fox going ahead of him in the draft as well (Fultz is obviously going #1).

  • [Deactivated] on 12/09/2018 - 13:38

    checking in, did you end up buying?

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