The LaMelo Ball Ninja Turtle shoes collection cast into stark relief how the Hornets standout can grab headlines, an unprecedented “buy four get one free” strategy as his splashiest collab yet gets underway. However, as his on-court playstyle would indicate, the middle Ball Brother doesn’t need anyone’s help to grab attention. Jumping back to 2023, the “Golden Child” MB.01 spoke to that, one of a few retro drops that dug into Melo’s personal PE archives to bring once-exclusive pairs to the general public. A year and change later, the same aesthetics drape the latest edition of the PUMA MB.04.
Though the moniker isn’t officially attached to this shoe yet, there are further ties to that 2023 makeup than just the all-over gilded aesthetic. The most significant is a remodeling of the mesh base layer, swapping from its usual arrangement to the grid layout that defined the MB.01. Appearing in a matte beige, it paves the way for the bombastic, shining accents over top, with the molded sole and the usual variety of Melo iconography appearing almost poured on while executing championship gold. For one last piece of intrigue, look to the heel: LaMelo debuts a new angelic logo for his LaFrance brand, further reinforcing the flattening between Ball’s apparel endeavors already stamped by the PUMA LaFrance proper.
The PUMA MB.04 “Golden Child” is queued up for a February launch, holding onto its usual $140 MSRP once released. As always, watch our Sneaker Release Dates page for more detailed info as that window approaches.





WHERE TO BUY
Mens Puma MB.04
Retailer | Release type | Status |
---|---|---|
PUMA | Standard | Check Site |