Shaquille O'Neal didn't take long to make a splash as the President of Basketball Operations for Reebok. As his first order of business, Shaq went back to his alma mater, LSU, and signed their star center, Angel Reese, to a multi-year Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) endorsement deal. Reese was part of LSU's national champion team last season and will be the face of the franchise when Reebok re-launches its basketball division in 2024.
Shaq starred at center for LSU in the early 90s and knew he wanted someone in his vein to be his first appointment, "There is no one making a bigger impact on the game right now than Angel Reese," said O'Neal. The brand plans to roll-out a curated collection of apparel called "Angel's Picks" to get the ball rolling and should be ready to launch towards the end of 2024. Reese also provided input and feedback on Reebok's new line of products, and who knows, maybe they'll even revive the Shaq Attaq signature shoe.
Reese joins a growing crop of student-athletes signed to NIL deals, including USC's Bronny James with Nike and Stanford's Cameron Brink for New Balance to name a few. NIL deals like this are becoming increasingly common in college sports, so tune in with us on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Image via lsusports.net