Shaquille O’Neal has never been one to play it small, whether on the court or in business. After helping close Reebok’s $2.4 billion sale to Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the Hall of Famer has taken center stage to revive Reebok’s presence in the basketball shoe market. Shaq has taken up a mammoth task because brands with better rosters dominate the market.
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However, Shaq has a master plan to put Reebok back on the map. In a trailer for his upcoming Netflix documentary ‘Power Moves with Shaquille O’Neal’ which released on June 4, Shaq teased a secret plan to bring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Reebok.
In the trailer, Shaq says that Reebok can make a comeback in the market under two conditions. One, their shoes have to be incredible. However, as President of Reebok Basketball, Shaq has very little to do with the manufacturing of the shoes. But he can work his magic in acquiring great athletes, and that’s the second condition.
He said, “SGA, I heard his contract is up.” But since SGA is signed to Converse, Shaq understands that it “might be a problem.” However, there isn’t a better athlete in the league at the time to help a brand like Reebok. SGA would be a great fit for the company, and his immense popularity and strong case for being league MVP will help the brand.
The only problem is that Shaq has the wrong info. SGA signed a multi-year deal with Converse last year, and he is in the midst of rolling out his first signature shoe with them. So, getting him onboard isn’t going to be possible for now.
However, Shaq and Reebok can try to build a strong roster without him, and they already have some known faces signed to their brand. Those names include NFL icon Julian Edelman, WNBA superstar Angel Reese, rapper Cardi B and DiJonai Carrington.
Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce both expressed in joining that roster in the future, which is great news for Shaq and co.
In Kelce’s recent podcast, Shaq offered them a special pair of customised cleats and said, “I don’t know how long your deal is, but whenever you want to talk about Kelce cleats at Reebok, I could f*cking walk you in… I got the key card.”
The deal in question is Kelce signed up with Nike and as part of it, he often wears Jordans. Nevertheless, this discussion, the Netflix series and the resurgence of Reebok in the States shows that they are headed in the right direction and Shaq’s clout and guidance will have a huge role in their competitiveness in the market.
Shaquille O’Neal and Reebok are rebuilding the basketball division
Even though Shaq can’t bring in SGA for now, he is doing stellar work as President of Basketball for Reebok. Shaq has signed Angel Reese to the brand, and they are expected to launch her signature collection in 2026. Reese will become the first active WNBA player with a signature shoe with Reebok.
Lexie Brown of the Seattle Storm and DiJonai Carrington of the Dallas Wings have also signed with Reebok. Among the men’s basketball athletes, Reebok has inked a deal with Nate Ament of Highland School, who is expected to be a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. At the same time, they also signed deals with Dink Pate and Matas Buzelis.
The signings made by Reebok basketball may not make a lot of noise today, but these are future investments. In just a few years, these athletes will start making waves in the league, and with that, Shaq’s work will get highlighted for the rest of the world.
