Shaq Discusses a Possible Reebok Sneaker Deal for Steph Curry

Shaquille O'Neal discussed the potential of Reebok partnering with Stephen Curry on a sneaker deal.

President of Reebok Basketball Shaquille O'Neal might be pitching a sneaker deal to Stephen Curry. | Reebok

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is enjoying his newfound freedom of sneaker free agency. Last week, Under Armour and Curry Brand unexpectedly split, and Curry has since used his pregame sneakers to pay homage to NBA legends and entertain other brands.

Before Tuesday night's road game against the Orlando Magic, Curry showed love to Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. Curry wore the Reebok Shaqnosis and the Nike Air Penny 2 before switching back to Curry Brand basketball shoes before the game.

Of course, O'Neal is the President of Reebok Basketball and has used his massive social media and television platform to publicly recruit players to his rapidly growing brand.

Below is an Instagram video of O'Neal reacting to Curry wearing his retro Reebok hoop shoes and our take on what it means.

Shaquille O'Neal Responds

When asked if he had any thoughts on Curry wearing the Reebok Shaqnosis, O'Neal replied, "Well, he is a good personal friend of mine. I think our people are having conversations with his people. I think."

O'Neal added, "But it was dope. It was a big moment for me, a big moment for the brand. It puts everyone in a 'What's he gonna do?' phase. So, I wish him well."

It sounds like O'Neal was just as pleasantly surprised as the rest of NBA fans and sneakerheads about Curry's decision to wear Reebok sneakers in Orlando. Even better, there could potentially be discussions about a new sneaker deal between Curry and Reebok.

Reebok's Options

However, O'Neal sounded very cautious with the words he chose when discussing the matter. At best, the conversations have just started recently. Partnering with Curry would expedite Reebok's already successful rebuild over the past two years and be one of the largest victories in company history.

But it would go against his Moneyball strategy of signing undervalued players with high upside. The results have been positive so far.

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese has elevated the brand with her first signature sneaker, while Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has provided the company with a foothold in the NBA.

Curry's Options

What's more, partnering with Curry would likely involve a broader vision that extends beyond basketball. He had golf, casual, and training footwear at Under Armour. Unfortunately, Curry has not yet discussed his plans with the public.

Curry could continue trying to build Curry Brand with the help of outside investors. Or he could move on to a different company. We included Reebok as one of the top five landing spots for Curry.

Fans can expect Curry to continue making headlines as he explores sneaker free agency. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the sports world and beyond.