Report: Adidas pressured refs to avoid calling technical fouls against LaVar Ball

The major brand wants to stay in good graces with LaVar, the father of the marketable Lonzo Ball

Adidas officials pressured referees at their Summer Championships event in Las Vegas to avoid calling technical fouls on LaVar Ball because of his influence on Lonzo Ball, according to a report from ESPN.

Lonzo, the Lakers rookie who was drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in June, is a big name on the market who has yet to sign an endorsement deal. He instead chose to create his own signature sneaker through his family's Big Baller Brand company, but hasn't shut the door on a future deal down the road. Because of his widespread popularity, Adidas seems to be still holding out hope on striking a deal.

Lonzo's close relationship with his father and potential influence in a courtship to land an endorsement deal led to event officials reportedly asking the group who supplied refs for the tournament to "put three officials on the game who will keep him in the building" whenever LaVar's Big Baller Brand team played this week in Vegas, the report said.

LaVar has been the talk of the event and grabbed headlines on Friday when he demanded a female referee be replaced, or else his Big Baller team would forfeit. He later told ESPN that the referee needed to "stay in her lane," adding that the official had a personal vendetta against him.

LaVar was whistled for two technical fouls in the game on Friday morning -- the second earning him an automatic ejection -- and the game was called early by event officials when he refused to vacate the floor.