The Chicago Sky entered the offseason after failing to qualify for the WNBA Playoffs. Their final regular season game against the New York Liberty ended 86-91, adding up to a fourth straight loss, finishing the year with a 10-34 record and ranked 12th in the league.
Meanwhile, the team’s star rebounder, Angel Reese, launched her first exclusive sneaker in collaboration with the Reebok sports brand, the Angel Reese 1: Diamond Dust. Did it sell out? Shaquille O’Neal reveals.
Reese’s impact on Reebok
When Shaquille took over as president of Reebok’s basketball division in 2023, he had already worked with the sports brand in the 1990s with its Shaq Attaq line.
After leaving the company in 1999, two decades later, O’Neal felt he had to return and has since worked hard to keep pushing the company and athletes forward. And the two-time All-Star was no exception.
During his appearance on “Tommy Talks,” the NBA icon revealed that the brand doesn’t seem to be going through a rough patch, as the lack of calls was a good sign: “The way my organization is running, no news is good news. So, I haven’t gotten any bad news,” explained the Lakers legend.
“I’m not the micromanaging type. Have we seen an increase in sales? Probably. Not sure. I don’t want to give you any inaccurate information, but I haven’t gotten any calls from the top people saying ‘Hey, sales are down,’” added Shaq.
The truth is that Reebok has managed to position itself and stand up to two long-established brands like Adidas and Nike, not an easy task, but not an impossible one for the 53-year-old former center. When O’Neal was asked about sales, he highlighted the contribution of the Chicago Sky star and her sneakers:
The Angel Reese shoe is doing really well. We’re coming out with some new designs. Sold out.
In addition, the 23-year-old forward’s collection will also feature sportswear inspired by her passion for fashion and her bold, competitive spirit in the game.
This new project, in addition to presenting fans with a new athletic offering from Reese, is also linked to and seeks to defend the rights of individuals and her efforts to combat cyberbullying promoted by her foundation. The AR1, is slated to be released on September 18.
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