You have to hand it to him – Melo Ball came into the league with an unparalleled level of swagger, even by NBA standards, and in his first two seasons he’s absolutely lived up to his own hype. The Charlotte Hornets point guard won Rookie of the Year honours in the 2020-21 season, and has levelled up again in 2021-22, earning a spot in the All-Star Game and putting up 20 points per game for the season.
So it’s no wonder that PUMA backed up the truck for Melo, reportedly signing him to a deal worth $100 million prior to playing an NBA game. It paid off, with his debut signature shoe the MB.01 becoming a staple on courts around the world, with a bunch of hot colourways and collabs keeping the shoe fresh throughout the season.
Let’s jump into all the MB.01 colourways.
Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Queen City
Let’s start with a special pair, aka the ‘Queen City’ colourway that Melo debuted in the All-Star Game in Cleveland earlier this year. The Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Queen City tributes the Charlotte Hornets with a monochromatic Purple Glimmer woven upper. Hits of light blue on the Puma toe logo and tongue complement the design’s rich palette. At the base, a grooved outsole is geared for explosive styles for play.
The Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Queen City dropped on 13/03/2022.
Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Rick and Morty
The Puma MB.01 received its first collaboration courtesy of LaMelo Ball’s favourite Adult Swim cartoon, Rick and Morty.
Sporting a mismatched neon two-tone look, the Puma MB.01 Rick and Morty draws inspiration from otherworldly adventures of Rick and Morty. The left shoe features a slime green palette, while the right shoe is smothered in the neon red tones. On the back of the tongues, illustrations of both Rick and Morty contribute a customised feel.
The Puma MB.01 Rick and Morty released in February of 2022.
Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Buzz City
Taking its name and palette from the Charlotte Hornets Buzz City uniforms (which are absolutely clutch, btw), the Puma MB.01 Buzz City arrives in a black knit upper with turquoise wings embroidery surrounding the collar. On the tongue, a decorative “1” illustration is stylized identically like Ball’s distinctive chest tattoo. At the base, a sculptural black sole with Nitro Foam technology is a perfect match for hoopers with explosive play styles.
The Puma MB.01 Buzz City released in February of 2022.
Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Galaxy
These are the new joints – nicknamed ‘Galaxy’ and playing on the tagline Puma have been using with Melo of ‘Not From Here’, they feature an intergalactic pattern on the upper and sock liner. A Green Gecko outsole takes these to another dimension, as does the bright crimson laces and logo hits. In a world where too much shocking colour is never enough, the Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Galaxy might be just what you need to stand out.
Puma MB.01 LaMelo Ball Red Blast
‘Red Blast’ sounds like a Gatorade flavour, doesn’t it? Well it’s not, it’s instead the launch colourway of the now iconic runaway hit, the MB.01. Dipped top to bottom in a vibrant Red Blast colour, the shoe features tonal embroidery on the upper to represent the unique wings tattoo Mr. Ball has on his chest, as well as additional branding hits throughout, including ‘Not From Here’ on the midfoot and M.E.L.O. on the heel. A heater, for sure.
