LaMelo LaFrance Ball, point guard for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2024/25 NBA season, and Puma Hoops are back with the MB.04. This fourth chapter in the MB signature line has a light blue base, is reinforced with silver overlays and boasts a TPU structure.

The intro will begin with Ball and Puma touring North America, kicking off in Charlotte, NC, with stops in Atlanta and Miami and concluding in New York City. The tour celebrates the MB.04 and Ball’s impact on basketball.

The newest MB.04 integrates Ball’s branding, including the Phoenix logo and “1 1 1” motifs. The shoe is suitable for play or fashion-forward wear.

“The details and Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the shoe are my favorite attributes. It was a big design challenge to make a shoe that couldn’t be mirrored left to right and still make it look cohesive,” said Jeremy Salle, head of design at Puma Hoops. “The inspiration was based around this idea of ‘Be Melo.’ The kids love Melo and a lot of them want to be just like him. It’s basically the idea of symbiosis. The kid puts on the shoe, and they are enveloped by all of Melo’s attributes, rarities and one-of-one-ness.”

Key performance features of the MB.04 silhouette include 4D printed technology, which allows “zoned-out” durability and enhances the shoe’s breathability; stylized TPU support in the forefoot; heel logo on each shoe that connects to its colorway and story; compression-molded EVA foam for responsiveness and cushioning while maintaining a lightweight profile; added  engineered mesh in the upper; and a “Melo-fied” external heel cap that includes a signature touch.

To complement the MB. 04’s “on-court dominance,” Puma and Ball are also dropping a new colorway of the LaFrancé 1:1 in all-over baby blue; the LaFrancé 1:1 “embodies LaMelo’s one-of-a-kind style with exaggerated lines and Y2K-inspired details.”

Launching on September 12, the Puma MB.04 and LaFrancé 1:1 include various apparel pieces to accompany the shoe collabs. Available at Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Puma.com, the Puma mobile app, and the Puma NYC Flagship store.

Images courtesy Puma