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Puma is going digital with LaMelo Ball.
The athletic brand and the Charlotte Hornets point guard have continued their ongoing collaboration with Ball’s new limited-edition NFT, which is also tied to his newest Puma sneaker launch. The style, dubbed the MB.03 “GutterMelo,” features a teal mesh base overlaid with red, blue and green abstract printed paneling, complemented with whirled light blue rubber outsoles, Nitro foam midsoles, vibrant red collars and matching laces. In NFT form, the sneaker is rendered by NFT collectible company Gutter Cat Gang in a digital format that can be viewed from all sides on Web3 marketplace OpenSea.
For the shoe’s launch on June 29, OpenSea will feature the MB.03 for purchase with Ethereum (ETH) software, a credit or debit card. Aside from just being an NFT, however, the piece — which retails for $175 — also serves as a ticket for shoppers to claim the physical shoes between July 18 to August 20. Following the one-month period, the shoes will no longer be available to buy in-person.
The MB.03 shoe is also the latest in Ball’s signature shoe franchise, with more styles — and NFT’s — teased for an expansion in the fall.
Ball’s MB.03 “GutterMelo” NFT will launch on OpenSea on June 29.
Puma’s MB.03 sneaker launch follows its ongoing slate of co-branded shoe launches this year, which have included collaborations with Pleasures, Balmain, Rhuigi Villaseñor, Atmos and Perks and Mini. The moment also makes the brand the latest to venture into the NFT space, alongside labels including Prada, Renault, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo and Karl Lagerfeld.
