Allen Iverson is one of the most respected players to have come through the NBA and the same rings true for his work as a businessman.
With an extensive portfolio expanding from cannabis to athleisure, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), shoes, and beyond, Iverson always aligns himself with brands that are authentic to who he is as a person.
As previously reported by AFROTECH, the Virginia native inked the deal of a lifetime with Reebok during his days as a Philadelphia 76er. His lifelong deal includes an annual payout of $800,000, and he is now just seven years shy of receiving an estimated $32 million on his 55th birthday as a part of his contract.
Beyond that, in early 2023, Iverson was tapped to help Authentic Brands Group (ABG) in growing its footprint in entertainment, endorsements, and strategic partnerships. Coincidently, ABG acquired Reebok in 2022 so life continues to be filled with full-circle moments for the NBA Hall of Famer.
Today, he serves as vice president of basketball at Reebok alongside fellow former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neil, who is president of the brand’s basketball division, reports NBC-10 in Philadelphia, PA.
“AI is a founding father of Reebok Basketball and has left a lasting impact on the game and its surrounding culture,” O’Neal said in an interview with Boardroom. “There is no one I’d rather work with to bring in a new generation of ballers to Reebok than him. Shaq and AI back at it — feels good.”
Both men have a unique relationship with Reebok that started during their respective careers and ultimately transcended to higher heights with their ongoing business moves.
“Being at the company for such a long time, one of the things I’m most proud about is a lot of brands have relationships with their athletes and endorsers,” Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky shared with Boardroom. “Usually, they’re giving them product in perpetuity and having them come to events and appearances. With this, we’re actually bringing two of our legacy athletes together and having them be in real management positions within our company.”
From the looks of it, Reebok and Allen Iverson continue to win big together in the most recent chapter of the former NBA superstar’s playbook.