Shaquille O’Neal was always determined to be a basketball star as a child. He gave it his best shot during high school and college to realize his dream, making him a legend for his alma mater. Shaq knew he would one day be famous and sign a significant shoe deal while playing in the NBA. His manifestations bore fruit, as Shaq was drafted into the NBA by the Orlando Magic and then signed a $15,000,000 shoe deal with Reebok.
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It is essential to note how his stepfather, Sergeant Phillip A. Harrison, played an important role in realizing this dream. Sarge was a veteran high school basketball player who taught young Shaq about the game. Coupled with his physical prowess and impeccable skills, he became a star, first in high school, then in the LSU basketball team and the NBA.
Shaquille O’Neal manifested becoming a superstar since his childhood
In his autobiography Shaq Talks Back, Shaq revealed how he would manifest becoming famous even before receiving his college scholarship. Shaq would work hard on realizing his dream, putting his best in training and his high school games. He eventually earned a college scholarship to Louisiana State University, becoming one of the most legendary players to graduate from the basketball team.
During his college years, Shaq was honored with a two-time All-American title, the SEC Player of the Year, and the recipient of the Adolph Rupp Trophy. The LSU Tigers have placed a 900-pound bronze statue of the Big Aristotle in front of the Basketball Practice Facility to honor his legacy. Shaq’s determination can be well summed with this excerpt from his autobiography.
“Even before I got a college scholarship, I would daydream about being famous. I mean, I have the same autograph right now that I had in Cole High School. I’d sit in class, practicing it. I would do it to keep myself going. “I’m gonna be a star,” just saying it jokingly, “I’m gonna be in the NBA, I’m gonna have my own shoe.” Meanwhile, deep down in the back of my head, I was always wondering, “What if I don’t?”
While Shaq was prominent in his determination, he always feared things not working out. To make things fall in place, his work ethic helped him realize all of these. Shaq even signed a $15,000,000 shoe deal with Reebok in his rookie year, popularizing the Reebok Shaq Attaq and Shaqnois shoes. He sported Reebok shoes throughout his NBA career.
Shaq signed a $15,000,000 worth shoe deal with Reebok in his rookie year
In 1992, Shaquille O’Neal realized his first step towards becoming famous was to sign a shoe deal. Reebok offered him a lucrative $15,000,000 deal over multiple years, his first significant business move. This deal was a stepping stone to building Shaq’s $400 million net worth.
However, Shaq once revealed how he later rejected Reebok’s $40 million shoe deal after being scolded by a woman for charging young kids high prices for his shoes. Speaking about this on the “Full Send” podcast, he said,
““I had $2,000 in my pocket. I said, ‘Lady I don’t make the prices. Here you go, and she smacked the money out of my hand, [and said], ‘Why don’t you motherf – kers make a shoe that’s affordable?’”
He later went on to sign a deal with Walmart to make affordable shoes for his fans. He had hired designers from Reebok, and over the years, his new shoe line has sold over 400 million pairs in the United States. Interestingly, the shoes looked amazingly well designed and crafted for a price range between $19-$29.
Shaq eventually became a partner with Authentic Brands Group, the current parent company of Reebok. ABG and Shaq purchased Reebok for $2.5 billion from Adidas, giving Big Aristotle a majority stake in the acquisition. Eventually, life did come a full circle for O’Neal, as he became part owner of the brand that had placed faith in him as a rookie.
