Shaquille O’Neal‘s legacy with the sports apparel brand Reebok dates back to 1992, when O’Neal remarkably signed a signature shoe deal with the brand in his rookie season. While this story has been retold several times, O’Neal addressed why he gravitated toward Reebok.
During an appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, Shaquille O’Neal dove deeper into the finer details of how a rejection from Nike led to his historic deal with Reebok. He recalled:
“When I went to Nike, motherf—er said, ‘You gotta play 3 years.’ I’m like, ‘Play 3 years with what?’ They said, ‘We’re not gonna give you your own shoe. We gave it to somebody else.'”
Ahead of Shaquille O’Neal’s meeting with the executives from Nike, the sportswear giant had already signed Alonzo Mourning. Mourning, who was the second overall pick in the draft behind O’Neal, was also heading into his rookie season.
Needless to say, the big man had every reason to be annoyed. However, instead of pleading with Nike, O’Neal took on a different approach.
“Then I went to Reebok with a Nike jacket on,” he revealed. “They said we’ll give you your own shoe. I got to control the marketing. ‘Jordan got Jumpman, I made Dunkman. Can we put that s–t on my shoe?’ That’s how I got with Reebok.”
Nike was undoubtedly the biggest footwear brand in basketball in the ’90s. With Michael Jordan as the face of the brand with his iconic “Air Jordan” line of shoes, the sportswear giant soared to new heights.
While it was apparent that Reebok couldn’t compete with Nike, it was clear that they could offer something more lucrative. By giving O’Neal a $15 million contract and the liberty to market the shoe as he saw fit, Reebok signed one of the most iconic sports personalities of the era.
Shaquille O’Neal debuted his first signature shoes, “Shaq Attaq” and “Shaqnosis,” in the 1992-93 NBA season, generating considerable attention. Although it seemed as though the partnership between the big man and Reebok would be a fruitful one, it didn’t last very long.
O’Neal famously walked away from a five-year, $40 million deal with Reebok in 1998 to start his own brand. After partnering with Walmart, O’Neal launched the “Shaq” brand, marketed as affordable footwear priced between $15-$30 to address a need in the market.
O’Neal’s venture in the footwear industry proved largely successful, too. Aside from expanding his portfolio, the big man recently reported that the brand has successfully sold over 600 million pairs of shoes.
Although Shaquille O’Neal’s partnership with Reebok ended in 1998, almost 25 years later, O’Neal reunited with the brand. As Reebok attempts to reach a younger audience and re-establish its position in the market, O’Neal will aim to fulfill his role as President of Reebok Basketball alongside Vice President Allen Iverson.
