A lot of people were poking fun at LaVar Ball for his son not wearing his shoes during the first few games of NBA Summer League play, but apparently, the eldest Ball has an explanation for it.

During a recent interview and text conversation, LaVar shrugged off the criticism that came after all the smack talk he was doing about his Big Baller Brand. He says the reason his son is wearing every basketball shoe brand is to make a “statement.”

ESPN’s Darren Rovel revealed that Ball told him through text that his son was “making a statement to the brands of what they could have had with an open mind.”

“You can do that all day just so you can have something to write about,” the elder Ball said in an interview capacity with ESPN. “That boy can play barefoot and do the same thing. He’s just letting them know he can play in any shoe he feels like. That’s how that Big Baller Brand roll. We’ve got that independence. We don’t have to be strapped down. You know how many players want to do that?”

Lonzo and his father made headlines when they were reportedly looking for an unprecedented $1 billion deal that would have BBB collaborating with either Nike, adidas or Under Armour. They perhaps made bigger news when they were turned down and instead debuted the ZO2 sneaker under their brand, retailing it for $495.

Since then, Lonzo Ball has been drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and has taken the court with pairs of Nike, adidas and Under Armour shoes on. Many are arguing that statistically Lonzo has been better not playing in the shoes his dad crafted.