Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has a business empire believed to be worth around $630 million.
He is now adding another role to his arsenal that could have far-reaching consequences for his legacy.
Watch every game of the NBL season with ESPN on Kayo Sports. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >
A four-time NBA champion and member of the basketball Hall of Fame, O’Neal was a dominant presence across his 19-year career on the court.
The 51-year-old has been even more successful after his playing retirement, however, trying his hands at a huge variety of ventures.
The man known universally as Shaq has been involved in pizza, burger and doughnut franchises, car washes, insurance companies and much more.
Television viewers in Australia will know him for a hook-up with a betting company, leading to a glut of ads poking fun at his attempts to understand local culture.
Now, he is taking a trip back home of sorts, taking on the new role of President of Basketball with shoe and apparel company, Reebok.
Rounding out the executive team will be another perennial All Star from his playing days, Allen Iverson, who will be O’Neal’s vice president.
“Being at the company for such a long time, one of the things I’m most proud about is a lot of brands have relationships with their athletes and endorsers,” Reebok chief executive Todd Krinsky told Boardroom.
“Usually, they’re giving them product in perpetuity and having them come to events and appearances.
“With this, we’re actually bringing two of our legacy athletes together and having them be in real management positions within our company.”
O’Neal launched his first line of shoes, the Shaq Attack range, with Reebok back in 1992.
Competing with the likes of Nike’s Air Jordan range, O’Neal had a successful run before leaving late that decade to launch his own range of affordable sneakers.
Iverson also had a signature shoe line with the company in the early 2000s.
Reebok was acquired by Adidas in 2005 and was then taken over by brand management giant Authentic Brand Group for $3.89 billion in 2022.
Reebok now plans to relaunch a full basketball range in early 2025.
“A big part of my role will be leveraging my network to build bridges, connect the brand with players and help those players develop through their partnership with Reebok,” O’Neal said.
“We just want to do things differently. That’s what we were best known for back then and what we want to stay true to now.”
O’Neal will help with business development, partnerships and player recruitment, while Iverson is being tasked with community initiatives and player recruitment.