Shaquille O’Neal was big, the most dominant ever was larger than life. Even when he was in his teen years, he was growing faster than anyone around him. So much so that when his dad Phillip Harrison brought him the largest Air Jordans, size 13, he was already two sizes bigger! So, with his dad being a military man and the shoes being expensive, what do you think Shaq did?
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Well, of course, he wore them. With pride and a great show. His army dad had brought him Air Jordans. Of course, he wasn’t going to let the shoes collect dust. Despite how uncomfortable it made him. And no matter how much it bruised him.
Also, like any other young teenager growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, he was in love with Michael Jordan. He wanted to be like Mike!
Shaquille O’Neal wore shoes 2 sizes small out of respect for Michael Jordan and his dad, Phillip Harrison
It is quite simple really, your dad buys you your idol’s basketball shoes, but they are 2 sizes-small, what will you do with them? Even if they are small and they are crushing your feet, you will wear them. Well, that may not be us but it was Shaquille O’Neal.
He loved MJ so much and had the highest amount of respect for his dad that he would wear his first pair of size 13 Air Jordans. It was 2 sizes small, and while that might sound a little absurd, this is the 7 foot 1 inch tall Shaquille O’Neal we are talking about.
In his book, Shaq Uncut, he talked about his fondness for new shoes and why wearing them was seen as “cool”,
My dad didn’t pay me any money, but if I needed a new pair of shoes, he’d get them for me. I was so excited when I finally got my Air Jordans, but they only went up to size 13, and by the time Sarge bought them for me I was already a size 15. They were so expensive I didn’t dare tell him they didn’t fit me. I walked around wearing shoes two sizes too small. My feet were killing me. Had to do it, dawg. If you had Jordans, you rated.
We are not surprised that Shaq wore them with pride. He loved his dad and Jordan too. But the love for the latter faded once he reached the league.
How Shaq declined to sign for Nike and chose Reebok instead
So, you might love your idol a lot but not enough to follow in their footsteps and sign for a brand like Nike. Shaq definitely did not want to be like Mike, not at least when he was in the league.
He knew the brand already had marquee athletes and he wanted to be a pioneer. So he chose Reebok. He signed a $15 million deal with them.
Moreover, he even offended Phil Knight by wearing a Reebok jacket during Nike’s pitch. Shaq doesn’t wear Jordans to this day.
