If there is someone who can mentor players over big money moves, it is Shaquille O’Neal. The 4x NBA champion first signed a mega $15 million deal with Reebok in 1992, then a seven-year deal worth $120 million when he signed as a free agent for the Lakers, the biggest ever at the time. Plus, his post-retirement plans have now put his net worth at $500 million. That’s why he was able to convince Caitlin Clark’s rival and other young stars to sign with Reebok.
In 2023, Shaq took over the reins as the President of Basketball Operations for Reebok. He got Allen Iverson as his VP to create the dominance that they created in the 90s. With NIL money coming in, signing young prospects is not only based on monetary terms, and that’s what O’Neal tried to convey when he was talking to the Marketing manager at Reebok. On Netflix’s Power Moves with Shaquille O’Neal, we get to see how the deal actually played out.
Colin Bell simply stated that the approach to signing players is to give them money before any competitor: “It’s a down payment, man, because if we don’t get him young, then someone else gets him young, and someone else that doesn’t want to talk to a 15-year-old.” The notion is true: a higher offer increases the probability of getting the services. But Shaquille O’Neal wants his team to not only focus on money; in fact, he made a guarantee that he wants the team to convey to the young stars.
“Not true. True and not true, what you said. I kind of want people that want to be with us. One thing I can guarantee is when we make the shoe, I can guarantee that it’s going to be on the shelf. Nike or nobody else can guarantee that,” boldly proclaimed Shaq. In no business can one guarantee 100% sales, but the Big Aristotle can. The marketing genius behind his fast food restaurant and Gummies, O’Neal knows what he is talking about. But in order to achieve guaranteed sales, Diesel is ready to offer what Nike hesitates to.
“I think my one ace, that’s usually the biggest card in the deck, is I can look at you and say, ‘I can give you your own shoe. Everybody’s going to give you the money, but can they give you your own shoe?’ And I think that’s my… that nobody else can do.” It was exactly what the Lakers’ legend offered Angel Reese in order to get her signature for Reebok.
On the New Heights podcast, O’Neal revealed his pitch for the Chicago Sky forward, “So I can give you your own shoe. You want to go to Nike and wear everybody else’s shoe, or you want to have your own shoe.” Further adding to that conversation, Shaq cited three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson as an example.
Mar 3, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Lady Tigers forward Angel Reese takes a photo for senior night with former LSU player and NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal, LSU Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey, and Reese’s mother Angel Webb against the Kentucky Wildcats at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
“Like it took A’ja Wilson, the best player in the league. She’s been in the league, I don’t know how long, but she just now got her first shoe. I said, ‘I can do that for you right away.’ So, that was my first signing.” Just last year, Nike announced A’ja Wilson’s Nike A’One sneaker and apparel line. She had to wait six long years to get her own shoe line, having signed with Nike in 2018.
Shaquille O’Neal used Nike’s limitations but failed to get other names on board
Any business negotiations need multiple levels of assurance to get the agreement. With the rise of NIL, the student athletes seem to have more power to choose their decisions as multiple brands fight to secure their services. That’s why even Reebok failed to match the expectations of two such athletes. One was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. At the time, SGA’s expiring Converse deal was the NBA’s marquee sneaker story.
In March 2024, SGA re‐upped with Converse on a multi-year extension reportedly worth $15 million guaranteed. Another was a top 2025 draft prospect, Ace Bailey. In the docuseries, Shaquille O’Neal even admitted to missing the opportunity to sign Ace Bailey. The reason was pretty straightforward, “but he’s a very expensive ticket. I don’t even want to have that conversation. So, now it’s just back to the drawing board.”
The Reebok brand might have missed on SGA and Bailey, but they made no late calls over the WNBA star Angel Reese. They are already selling the first Angel Reese collaboration sneaker, the Engine A “Pretty Gritty.” So, not only did Shaquille O’Neal reveal his strategy, but he also came through by signing Reese. Alongside her, the President of Reebok basketball also secured DiJonai Carrington, Nate Ament, and Dink Pate. A solid roster for a rebuild!
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