Shaquille O’Neal is one of the biggest stars in NBA history, although unlike the greatest players, who usually sign shoe deals with Nike, Addidas or Under Armour, O’Neal decided to sign with the smaller Reebok and make sure his shoes were affordable.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, one of the WNBA’s biggest stars is following in his footsteps. Angel Reese, the 2024 rebounding champion, All-Star, and runner-up for Rookie of the Year, has also signed to be a signature athlete for Reebok and will release her first shoe in 2026.
Reese will join five other active WNBA players with a shoe deal, although she is the only one signed to Reebok.
While O’Neal dominated the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers for eight seasons, he never led the league in rebounds. However, he, like Reese, was one of the most dominating interior players of all time. During an on-air interview during a game between Reese’s Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, O’Neal praised the women’s league and suggested they should make more money.
“They’ve always played great, they’ve always played hard, I’m glad they’re getting their exposure,” said O’Neal on Aug. 30. “They definitely deserve it. Now we just got to get them similar contracts to what some of those NBA guys are making.”
With added revenue from her new shoe deal, Reese still won’t match the income of the best NBA players, but the gap is slowly being bridged, and the growth Reese and Caitlin Clark have brought to the WNBA will only expand the league.
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