Hear that? That's the sound of LaMelo Ball putting more money in his bank account.
The Charlotte Hornets recently got into the NFT (nonfungible tokens) game as he is expected to release a set of 500 before the announcement of the winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year in June.
The 20-year-old Ball is a heavy favorite to take home the accolade with the way he's reinvigorated the Hornets with his stellar all-around play. But now, he wants to extend his game to the ever-growing blockchain realm (via Tim Keown of ESPN).
“As I learn more about blockchain, I realize this is the most powerful and unique way to engage my fans in a way that's special to them individually. I see this as the future for fans and athletes connecting together.”
Ball is not far off with his assessment. NFTs have become the latest craze in recent months, with more and more fans getting into NBA Top Shot. As the ESPN report pointed out, if Ball wins as Rookie of the Year, it will be automatically included in his 500 NFTs, which will most likely increase their value.
Ball, who averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game in his maiden NBA campaign, is working with Playground, an NFT design studio based in California. The company's co-founder said LaMelo Ball's move will be a watershed moment for athletes.
“LaMelo will become the first athlete to mint his career on the blockchain. We're launching a world where each NFT carries ‘level up' capabilities based on off-chain events.”
Somewhere out there, LaVar Ball is grinning.
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