I thought Reebok was out of the basketball sneaker business.
Big men rarely are able to conquer the markets when it comes to selling shoes. 76ers rookie forward Nerlens Noel will try and buck that trend.
SLAM is reporting that Noel has signed a has tentatively agreed to an endorsement deal with Reebok, according to sources within the company.
Noel was spotted at a photo shoot for the Reebok Q96 and Pumspective in Los Angeles. The Q96 of course is Allen Iverson’s first shoe Reebok designed after the 1996 NBA Draft.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Noel really believes he can sell shoes.
“I don’t think I’m just a prototypical big man,” Noel said when reached on the phone at the shoot. “I think I’ll be able to sell shoes.”
He joins a Reebok Basketball team that includes Brooklyn Nets guard Jason Terry, Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas and Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson.
“Growing up, I liked a lot of old school shows like Fresh Prince and Martin,” Noel said. ”And what they (Reebok) really want to do is bring it back to retro—like, I have a flat top. So going retro, with not only the shoe but even off-court style.”