Shaq Settled on Angel Reese for Reebok Endorsement Due to Budget Constraints: 'I Had To Deal With Something I Never Had To Deal With'

Shaquille O’Neal, president of Reebok Basketball, was forced to change his initial plans of signing big names due to budget constraints.

What Happened: Shaq, who assumed the role of Reebok’s president in 2023, had a vision to restore the brand’s former glory through strategic partnerships with athletes and teams.

However, he encountered unexpected budgetary limitations. “I had to deal with something I never had to deal with: budgets. Cuz I’m like, ‘Imma sign Shai, I’ma sign all these players.’ But hollering at their agents, they want $60 million. And now I gotta go back to the Board and they said, ‘Man, you ain’t got $60 million,'” O’Neal revealed during an interview.

Reebok, which was once a major rival to Nike, has witnessed a significant decline in its status since being acquired by Adidas in 2006.

By the time O’Neal took the reins, the brand wasn’t even among the top 7 in market share, essentially starting from scratch.

O’Neal’s initial strategy to sign Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was thwarted due to financial constraints. Instead, he signed Angel Reese, a star of women’s college basketball, who had a personal connection with O’Neal through LSU.

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Reese, the 7th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, was signed to a multi-year extension by Reebok in October 2024, making her the sixth current WNBA player to have a signature shoe. Her signature shoe is expected to be released next year.

Why It Matters: This unexpected partnership is a testament to the financial challenges Reebok is currently facing. The inability to sign big names could potentially impact the brand’s resurgence strategy.

However, signing Reese, a rising star in women’s basketball, could open new avenues for the brand in the women’s sports market.

The success of Reese’s signature shoe could be a crucial factor in determining the future trajectory of Reebok under O’Neal’s leadership.

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