Though not exactly going toe-to-toe with Nike, adidas and Under Armour have kept themselves in the discussion with aggressive moves. To avoid going the way of once great, now somewhat defunct hoop brands like Converse, FILA and Etonic, they need a brand overhaul and signature presence. And after losing Nerlens Noel and Isaiah Thomas earlier this season, Reebok Basketball is virtually a non-factor. Clearly, there are no signature caliber players in the fold. Jason Terry (age 37) and Andre Miller (38) round out the group. Backup point guard Ramon Sessions is buried on the bench, and his star has faded in recent years. There’s Gerald Green, a longtime journeyman who turned his career around after a two-year hiatus from the league. Today, Reebok’s NBA representation is limited to just four players. He is now playing the best basketball of his career. Unfortunately, ZigTech in basketball didn’t yield similar results, and Wall was shifted to parent company adidas in 2013. On the heels of the success of the Zig Pulse running shoe, Wall led three Zig-equipped basketball models. Reebok took one final swing with signature athletes by adding John Wall in 2010. By 2010, Iverson’s pro career was a wrap and his signature line was cut off after the Answer 13. Yao Ming was viewed as a major acquisition in 2003, but foot injuries derailed his career and Reebok was blamed by some for his early retirement. Steve Francis was a flash in the pan and never quite connected as lead for the Blacktop Collection. The relationship between Iverson and Reebok was initially such a success that the two agreed on a 10-year ‘lifetime’ extension in 2001.ĭespite their best efforts, Reebok failed to build a stable roster around Iverson throughout his years. The gamble paid off, as Iverson delivered at the cash registers and in helping change the perception of the brand. O’Neal and Reebok mutually ended their partnership in 1998, as the larger-than-life superstar looked to establish his own Dunkman brand.Īware of their fading presence in the NBA, Reebok went all-in on Allen Iverson in 1996. The Big Fella was never a major mover for the brand, but he did provide it with an aura of relevance as one of the game’s best young players and biggest personalities. Looking to regain some of their declining market share, Reebok Basketball turned to endorsements, landing incoming rookie Shaquille O’Neal in 1992. However, as quickly as the Pump took off, the big seller slumped. Reebok sold 20 million pairs of Pumps over a four-year period. The inflatable technology was implemented into various silhouettes, including the Omni Zone worn by Dee Brown for his no-look dunk in the 1991 Slam Dunk Contest. Momentum stalled shortly after, as Reebok took a backseat to the rise of Nike Air, but the brand was able to drum up interest once again with the introduction of the Pump in 1989. By 1987, Reebok controlled 26 percent of the athletic shoe market, with basketball accounting for 8.6 percent of their total sales. The brand pried Boston Celtics teammates Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge away from Nike and launched the first models from the BB series. They're almost completely irrelevant in the category, but it wasn’t always this way.Īfter failing to connect with consumers by tagging select Freestyle releases as ‘Basketball Edition’ in the early 80s, Reebok officially entered the hoops world in 1986. And like that vintage vector logo, Reebok may be on the verge of being phased out in the NBA.Īs of today, the brand has no new performance footwear, a wealth of struggling retro product and lacks a signature athlete to carry the legacy forward. Once upon a time, Reebok was a basketball powerhouse.ĭuring the brand’s golden era, vector logos were on the feet of the game’s marquee players.
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