Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson to lead Reebok's basketball division / News - Basketnews.com
O'Neal will be responsible for player recruitment and business development, trying to put Reebok back on the basketball map.
Credit: USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports - ScanpixDecades ago, Reebok was a prominent name in basketball. With the recent acquisition of the brand, the organization looks to make a return in basketball.
Shaquille O'Neal
Position:CAge:51Height:216 cmWeight:147 kgBirth place:United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatisticsWith this ambition in mind, Shaquille O'Neal has been named the President of Reebok Basketball. He will not handle the duties alone, as another Hall of Famer - Allen Iverson - was named the Vice President.
Shaq will mostly focus on attracting players to the brand and developing the basketball section of the business.
Reebok was acquired by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) in 2022 from Adidas for a reported price of $2.5 billion. O'Neal feels that it's the right time for the brand to make a comeback in the NBA.
"Now we definitely want to get back in the space and compete for what was once ours. I can remember we were either one or two, whoever you talk to. So just trying to get us back in that space, we are going to launch performance product in ‘24, and then we'll have an official consumer launch in ‘25," he said in an interview with Ben Felderstein from Complex.
Back in 1992, Shaq became one of the first big-name players to choose Reebok as his official shoe. The Hall of Famer later starred in a now-legendary Super Bowl 1993 commercial alongside Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Walton.
The big man was later joined by NBA stars like Iverson and Shawn Kemp.
O'Neal says that the company will be looking to recruit players who can put it on the map almost instantly, players who have the 'it' factor.
"It’s really hard to explain. Like, you look at Allen Iverson. When he first came, he was the guy. He just had that 'it' factor. You look at Shaq, a little skinny guy, he came in; he had that 'it' factor," Shaq said. "So we're going to be looking to make some noise, males, females, and influencers in other sports. Again, as the new president of basketball operations, I look forward to the opportunity."
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