When the Charlotte Hornets met the Miami Heat in the In-Season Tournament, Ball was spotted with a new accessory: a bandage under his ear. This strange image of Ball makes fans extremely curious. And the answer is that the Hornets defender must wear it to cover up the tattoo of the letters “LF” on his neck. The tattoo is a symbol of Ball’s LaFrance lifestyle brand, which launched more than three years ago.

Why did Ball cover up his trademark tattoo? Any problems?

Would the NBA force LaMelo Ball to cover up the tattoo on his neck?

According to NBA uniform regulations, athletes are prohibited from revealing any brand logos outside of their uniforms and sneakers. Although Ball’s “LaFrance” logo is for personal branding, it is not on the allowed list.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, NBA spokesman Tim Frank had this to say about Ball having to cover up his tattoo:

“According to the (Collective Bargaining Agreement), athletes are prohibited from displaying commercial logos or company insignia on their bodies or hair during matches. We strive to enforce this regulation in a reasonable manner. reasonable, consistent with its purpose, and directed toward the players’ efforts to express themselves in a non-commercial manner. But LaMelo Ball’s neck tattoo clearly violates the rules and therefore, he forced to cover it up”.

Here are the NBA’s uniform rules on advertising brands, according to the CBA:

“Except for what is incorporated into the Game Uniforms and identifying information from the manufacturer incorporated into the Athlete’s Athletic Shoes, during any NBA game, athletes are not allowed to display any names. , trademark, logo or any commercial, advertising or charitable identification, on the body, in the hair, or elsewhere”.

In 2018, Lamelo’s brother Lonzo Ball was forced to cover his Big Baller Brand logo tattoo with a band-aid because of this regulation. That same season, JR Smith was threatened with fines if he did not cover up his tattoo of the logo of streetwear brand Supreme.

Five years ago, Iman Shumpert cut the Adidas logo into the back of her then-signature high-top shoe. After conversations with the NBA, the Adidas logo was shaved away to become a blank triangle.

What is LaFrance?

LaFrance (stylized LaFrancé) is a clothing brand launched by Ball before the 2020 NBA Draft. The brand’s name is inspired by Ball, whose full name is LaMelo LaFrance Ball. The brand has teamed up with Ball’s sneaker partner, Puma, selling a variety of apparel, including T-shirts, shorts, sweatshirts and hats, as well as many other accessories.