When Allen Iverson was drafted into the league in 1996, he instantly signed an endorsement deal with Reebok. During the duration of Iverson’s epic career, Reebok sneakers were on his feet. The player and the company experienced tremendous success to-gether. Learn more about the Reebok Q96 below.
Q96
Reebok basketball was struggling to keep its basketball division alive by 2013. It decided to go back to the archive and try its luck with a nostalgic favorite.
The iconic Reebok Question was redone with modern technology and named the Q96. The shoe used DMX Foam and a breathable synthetic upper. Reebok tried to make a modern Iverson shoe that honored the past with its design. However, Reebok basketball would fade away for a time after the Q96 was released.
Question???
Reebok needed a superstar in the mid-1990s. Reebok was looking for the face of the company.
A fresh and charismatic star that could lead them to a whole new level of success. Allen Iverson was the perfect basketball star for what Reebok wanted. Iverson was electrifying on the court and had a genuine connection to young people off it.
Culture
Iverson was a legend when he played college basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas. His height, barely six feet tall, allowed young people to connect with him differently than they would a seven-foot center. Iverson was also rooted in hip hop culture. He dressed and carried himself in a way that aligned to the music and style kids were most interested in at the time.
Draft
Allen Iverson was drafted by one of the biggest teams in the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson was the number one pick and expectations for him were high. Iverson was only 21 when he entered the league, but his impact on his team and the NBA was colossal from the start. He would earn Rookie of the Year honors after his first season in the NBA.
His highlight reel during his first season is still awe-inspiring to this day. The crossovers and above the rim plays have not lost any luster decades later.
- Adam C. Better
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