Oct. 12 (UPI) — Reebok hired Shaquille O’Neal as its president of basketball and fellow NBA legend Allen Iverson as vice president, the sports apparel company announced Thursday.
“We are thrilled to be expanding upon our partnership with Shaquille with this historic appointment,” Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky said in a news release. “As an athlete, he made an incredible imprint on not only our brand, but the entire sport and culture of basketball.
“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.”
O’Neal, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, signed an endorsement deal with Reebok ahead of his rookie campaign and later released his first signature shoe, the “Shaq Attaq.” Iverson, the No. 1 overall pick in 1996, also signed with the company as a rookie.
Today, Reebok is proud to officially report that longtime brand partner and legendary hall-of-famer, @SHAQ, as the President of Reebok Basketball. pic.twitter.com/nEw6aYnRv3— Reebok (@Reebok) October 12, 2023
O’Neal and Iverson will “cultivate partnerships with athletes and organizations” and “drive player recruitment” through their new roles, the company said. Authentic Brand Group bought Reebok from Adidas for nearly $2.5 billion in 2022.
Reebok announced plans to relaunch its basketball division in 2025.
