Shaq and Iverson team up to revive Reebok from obscurity in the Netflix docuseries ‘Power Moves’

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr Associated Press LOS ANGELES AP Shaquille O Neal and Allen Iverson once clashed on the court in the NBA Finals but now the basketball legends are joining forces to revive the Reebok brand they helped make iconic In the Netflix docuseries Power Moves which premiered this week the Hall of Famers swap jerseys for executive titles with O Neal stepping in as president of Reebok Basketball while Iverson takes on the role as vice president The six-episode series offers a behind-the-scenes look at their mission to spark a cultural resurgence for the classic sneaker company O Neal standing -foot- sees himself as a voice for in the current era s big men But when it comes to reaching the quick gritty guards of this generation he knows there s no better ambassador than the -foot Iverson whose s signature shoes are still a staple in sneakerhead circles I didn t build Reebok all by myself noted O Neal who won three straight NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and another with the Miami Heat He signed with Reebok in and made the brand popular with his first signature shoe called the Shaq Attaq FILE Miami Heat center Shaquille O Neal left and Philadelphia ers guard Allen Iverson watch their teammates during the NBA Rookie Challenge on Feb at the Pepsi Center in Denver AP Photo Mark Terrill File Iverson s signature shoes The Question and The Answer were several of the top sellers in the industry He signed a lifetime endorsement and marketing contract with Reebok in I needed A I to be vice president because if you re a guard you want to see a legendary guard he mentioned I wished to do a show that s not scripted Not polished I craved it to be real work Iverson called documenting his role in helping revitalize Reebok a full circle moment while working alongside O Neal who he calls big bro I get the honor of doing this with Shaq having a relationship with him mentioned Iverson the former Philadelphia ers guard who was an -time All-Star and won the league s MVP in the same year O Neal and Iverson faced off in the NBA Finals Iverson was known for being an undersized guard who played with a supersized heart The type of things I learn from him on and off the court He s just a beautiful guy Iverson reported about O Neal He stands up to his faults The things that he felt he did wrong in life The way he treats his mom All that resembles who I am That makes this special FILE Miami Heat s Shaquille O Neal right defends against Philadelphia ers Allen Iverson in the first half on Jan in Philadelphia AP Photo Miles Kennedy File Reebok founded in became a household name in the early s thanks to Boston Celtics guard Dee Brown and his iconic Pump sneakers The brand took off from there inking major deals with O Neal and Iverson partnering with the NFL NBA NHL and MLB and even stepping into hip-hop with signature lines for Jay-Z and Cent s G-Unit But Reebok s cultural momentum began to fade after Nike doubled down on star power with Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant and LeBron James Adidas bought the company for billion in aiming to better compete with Nike on a global scale Instead Reebok struggled to find its footing gradually losing its identity in both sports and style Now it s time for us to get Reebok back to prominence declared O Neal who played a key role in Reebok s acquisition in by Authentic Brands Group where he is a shareholder There s all these competitive brands which is fine It makes the job harder But for me it s all about motivation and trying to build Power Moves dives into Reebok s strategy for staying relevant including signing rising stars like WNBA phenom Angel Reese to the brand s first name image and likeness NIL deal The series also shows how O Neal leans on a surprising source for insight into the present day s athletes through his son Shareef Shaq was initially set on creating high-top sneakers until a visit to a massive Amateur Athletic Union tournament with nearly courts sparked a shift Shareef pulled his dad aside and explained that low tops are the go-to for this generation It was a lightbulb moment that helped Shaq better understand and connect with modern players I had to realize that my way is not consistently the right way Shaq stated Sometimes the best way to be an effective leader is listening to the ones who are really in the trenches Iverson believes he and Shaq can help Reebok bounce back by paying forward the same backing and opportunity the brand once gave them We re going to show our love to the brand that demonstrated us love he commented We re putting our efforts into what they did in my life Reebok took care of my family my friends me It was a power move We re here to bring it back