"Kinda ugly", "Those clean": Sneakerheads give mixed reviews for LaMelo Ball's upcoming Puma MB.04 LaFrance shoes 

LaMelo Ball is considered one of the flashiest NBA players in the league today, which can be said for his signature shoe line with the Puma brand. In anticipation of the release of his upcoming MB.04 LaFrance sneakers, Ball gave a brief rundown on the design features of his latest shoe. The video was shared by NBA on X, formerly known as "Twitter," garnering mixed reactions from fans.

Ball was the third pick in the 2020 draft by the Charlotte Hornets and has been the face of the franchise since then. Like how he plays on the court, his Puma signature sneakers are not identical to the usual design aesthetic of other shoe brands such as Nike and Adidas.

Several NBA fans reacted to the video in the comments section.

"They kind of ugly thought not going to lie," a fan tweeted.

"Those clean," a fan tweeted.

"Bro got the best signature shoes in the game right now," a fan tweeted.

"You've got too much going on the shoe. He should've simplified a bit more," another fan tweeted.

"This guy always has the tackiest s***," a fan tweeted.

"Shoes are dope as f**k," another fan tweeted.

Ball's Puma MB.04 LaFrance shoes are expected to be available on Sep. 12 via PUMA.com and select retailers.

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Former Footlocker chief marketing officer talked about the foundation behind the partnership between LaMelo Ball and Puma

Compared to the big superstar names of Nike and Adidas, Puma thrives on betting its chips on NBA athletes with a niche market. Enter LaMelo Ball.

During an interview with Andcape's Nick DePaula, former Footlocker chief marketing officer Jed Berger credited the move made by Puma to sign Ball.

"The basketball community has known about him for years, and they always called him 'The Best Ball,'" Berger said. "There's been this enthusiasm for him for a long time. That also allowed for Puma to have a little more confidence to produce a signature shoe early on. ... In this business you got to be willing to be wrong if you're going to get wins."

Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball - Source: Imagn

There's a certain electric feeling to watching how Ball handles, shoots and passes the basketball whenever he steps on the court. He was just the kind of athlete the iconic shoe brand envisioned as a huge piece of a signature sneaker line.