LaMelo Ball's PUMA MB.01 'Queen City' Salutes Charlotte
Budding superstar may have been born and raised in Chino Hills, CA, but he's been a resident of Charlotte since he was drafted third overall by the Hornets in the 2020 draft. The city has welcomed Ball with open arms and he's given that love right back, so is commemorating the bond between by player, team and city with the 'Queen City'.
With a title drawing from Charlotte's nickname and a purple/teal colourway that's all Hornets, the 'Queen City' is a definite head-turner! It doesn't hurt that Ball debuted it while dropping 18 points and wowing the crowd with some during the 2022 NBA-All Star Game either!
From a performance standpoint, the MB.01 uses a 5/8 cut for support and a midsole constructed of PUMA's Nitro Foam, a proprietary cushioning blend that's designed to provide a responsive and explosive on-court feel. Just like past MB.01s, the 'Queen City' also equips Ball-centric details like a '1 of 1' hit on the tongue and a 'Not From Here' graphic above the toebox.
The shoe's connection to Charlotte runs deeper than just its colour palette as well. As part of its rollout, Ball and PUMA refurbished the basketball courts at L.C. Coleman Neighborhood Park, painting them Hornets colours and adding plenty of special embellishments!
Expect LaMelo Ball's PUMA MB.01 to release via the PUMA webstore and select retail partners on March 18. Its MSRP is set at $125.