Why are LaMelo Ball, Puma being sued for $200,000,000? Looking at former Big Baller Brand cofounder's claims

LaMelo Ball is reportedly being sued over issues surrounding his father, LaVar Ball, and his sneakers company, Big Baller Brand. LaMelo's current shoe manufacturer, Puma, is also being taken to court by Alan Foster, who co-founded Big Baller Brand.

Foster named LaMelo, LaVar, and LaVar's wife, Tina Ball, in the lawsuit. He also included sportswear manufacturer Puma. Per a TMZ report, Foster claims that the group “screwed” him out of millions. The case was filed in a court in California.

Foster had issues with the Ball family over the BBB shoe company four years ago. It seems the beef has not been quashed.

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Why is LaMelo Ball being sued?

Alan Foster contends he helped develop LaMelo Ball’s brand when he worked with BBB. He believes he deserves portions of the Charlotte Hornets star's profits. Foster also claims to have created the MB1 line of LaMelo’s signature shoes and has trademarks on the label and the shoe designs.

According to Foster, LaMelo’s first signature shoe under BBB was called the MB1 and was successful. He is suing to reap the lost profits from that shoe line he thinks he has creative licenses on.

Foster alleges he was cut out of the Big Baller Brand business a few years after developing LaMelo’s brand ideas. He said LaVar pushed him out of the company and created a second version of the business to cut Foster out of profits.

Foster added Puma to the lawsuit because he believes the brand violated his trademarks when creating Lamelo Ball’s signature shoe. The kicks were called the MB.01. Foster is claiming trademark infringement over the shoe line from Puma.

"LaMelo was instrumental in creating his first signature shoe with Big Baller Brand," Foster wrote in the suit. "He was fully aware of the existence of the LaMelo trademarks, he helped design them!"

Foster made more allegations in the suit and is clearly angered over how things went down.

"He knew that his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was called the 'MB1' and that the name was protected by federal trademark," the lawsuit reads. "Yet, despite his knowledge of all of this, LaMelo willfully and deliberately chose to name the signature shoe he created and designed with PUMA the 'MB1' in violation of the LaMelo trademarks."

Foster is seeking more than $200 million in damages. He previously sued LaVar Ball for misusing business funds for personal reasons when the two were partners at BBB. Foster was also sued by Lonzo Ball, the brother of LaMelo Ball. The Chicago Bulls guard alleged Foster swindled his family out of $1.5 million when handling business affairs with BBB.