Just in time for the start of the new NBA season, our man Shaq is once again pairing up with one of the first companies he was involved with as a spokesman and brand ambassador – Reebok. The company was purchased earlier this year by a holding company called Authentic Brands Group for about $2.5 billion dollars.
According to Boston-based Reebok, the company will be taking the wraps off a new promotional campaign called Courting Greatness. The campaign will celebrate Shaq’s career, along with another Rebook partner, Allen Iverson, know as “AI.”
It’s a very cool online / digital artwork program that will empower fans worldwide to create basketball courts and “playable spaces” where they might (or might not) not exist IRL (in real life).
Online, Courting Greatness digital tool enables users to use their smartphone cameras and measuring apps to lay out a digital court, including a free throw line, 10-foot hoop, three-point line and more.
There are a couple of real courts, too. Artist Gianni Lee put one up in Philadephia (where he lives) and also Los Angeles-based artist Rick Dove to a court in his neighborhood.
Philadelphia and Los Angeles were selected for the installations, as they were home to Iverson and O’Neal, respectively, during their greatest achievements as professional basketball players. Both artists used “upcycled” materials to construct their custom courts.
Reebok director Nicole Adriance said “AI and Shaq are two of the most influential icons the game has ever seen both on and off the court, and there’s no better way to commemorate their individual journeys than to empower the next generation of players, helping provide tools to play anywhere.”
She added: “We hope our collaborations with Gianni and Rick will also inspire ballers to showcase their own style and create their own court, because, as we know, basketball and style go hand in hand.”
Expect new TV and online promotions to start soon. If you’re in the area, you can check out the physical fantasy courts in Los Angeles at 7753 Melrose Avenue. In Philadelphia, the AI fantasy court is at 2300 Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia. Both are up now, and will be on display through mid-November.