LaMelo Ball Lights the Intriguing PUMA MB.04 'Flare'

LaMelo Ball's PUMA MB.04 series hit fever pitch two months ago with the release of the cornea-shredding 'Graffiti' colourway – a very worthy addition to a series which has seen some chaotic palettes in the 'Phoenix', the shimmering 'Disco', and of course the entire Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. But in an ironic buckling of expectations, the Charlotte Hornet's latest does not press things into even more outrageous territory. Instead, the 'Flare' presents like lights through milky cloud cover, in an intriguingly reined-in palette.

The youngest sibling of the Ball dynasty is on the cusp of launching his sophomore signature casual footwear line, the LaFrancé RNR, with the Big Cat – hardly surprising given the popularity of his OG collection amongst budding ballers. Preceding the new shoe's anticipated August debut, this fresh MB.04 has emerged, showcasing the identical 'Flare' colourway first glimpsed on the lifestyle iteration.

'Light Sand' hits the pair's midsole unit and intricate TPU overlays, deliberately drawing the peanut gallery's focus towards the 'Aquatic' teal and 'Orange Glo' party going on at the heel. The outsole's 'NOT FROM HERE' inscription gets its own 'Aquatic' highlight, as does Melo's distinctive wings emblem, while that juicy orange hits the 'LF' heel embellishment.

LaMelo Ball's PUMA MB.04 'Flare' is all set to shoot sky-high on July 11, available via PUMA's site and regular outlets, for $125.

On the hunt for some more fresh looks? We recommend checking out Jordan Brand's newly unveiled Trunner O/S.