Legendary NBA big man Shaquille O’Neal has had a lot of endorsements over the course of his playing and post-playing career.
O’Neal once turned down a big-time endorsement, though.
The former Los Angeles Lakers star revealed on the “Full Send” podcast that he once walked away from a $40 million endorsement with Reebok.
O’Neal said he was chastised by a woman who criticized him for trying to sell overpriced sneakers. He said he took the confrontation to heart and started his own brand.
“That day, I cut ties with Reebok,” O’Neal said of passing on his $40 million endorsement. “I said keep the money… this ain’t right. I’ll still wear the shoes I do during the season, but I’ll be looking to do my own thing.”
O’Neal then started his own thing.
“So, I started the Shaq brand. I went to my favorite store, Walmart, and we did a deal,” O’Neal said. “I was in all stores and my price point for the shoes was [around $20] and since then we sold over 400 million pairs.”
O’Neal, 49, played in the NBA from 1992-2011. He was a 15-time All-Star and a four-time NBA champion.
The former Lakers star remains one of the most-likable players in league history. His endorsement story is another example of why.
The post Shaquille O’Neal Reveals A Crazy NBA Endorsement Story appeared first on The Spun.