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O’Neal and Iverson have history with Reebok. O’Neal was their first signature athlete. While with Reebok, O’Neal had the Shaq Attaq signature shoe. He stayed with Reebok from 1992 to 1998. The split helped lead to him creating shoes for under $30 and partnering with Walmart.
Iverson was also a signature athlete for Reebok. He signed a deal with them right away after being drafted in 1996. Reebok released the “Reebok Question” as Iverson’s signature shoe. This was created for his Rookie of the Year campaign. Then, Iverson and Reebok came together for the “Reebok Answer.” The Answer was a continuous series. Iverson was a key to Reebok’s success and his presence boosted their popularity. His commercial for the “Answer 5” was arguably one of the most recognizable and popular shoe commercials of all time.
Iverson signed another deal with Reebok in 2001. This was a lifetime deal that established a $32 million trust fund. When Iverson turns 55, he will receive the $32 million. He is currently 48-years-old. On top of the huge sum, Iverson receives a yearly salary of $800,000 from the company. Iverson and Reebok have remained on good terms and the decision to make him vice president reaffirms that.
Todd Krinsky, the CEO of Reebok, spoke on the decision to make O’Neal their president.
“We are thrilled to be expanding upon our partnership with Shaquille with this historic appointment,” said Krinsky. “With the combination of his deep-rooted history with Reebok and reigning influence he’s made on the game, there is no one better than this guy to take the helm and lead our brand back to reclaiming its rightful place and dominance in basketball.”
Reebok is gearing up for big things and by 2025, they hope to compete with the likes of Nike, Adidas and Under Armour. The addition of O’Neal and Iverson is a great start. O’Neal and Iverson are two Hall-of-Famers that have history with the company. They not only know what it takes to succeed and will steer them in the right direction.
