Reference shoes or almost in the world of basketball, the Jordan brand is a real juggernaut in its sector. But Shaquille O’Neal, he never wanted to wear it after a strange experience … No hard feelings for His Airness.
Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, Zion Williamson, Carmelo Anthony, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal and many others: the list of players wearing Jordan shoes is as long as an arm, a sign of the enormous impact of the famous brand “Jumpman” on the world of the orange ball. However, some players choose to take another direction, and it was the case of … Shaquille O’Neal.
Now independent and at the head of a brand that promotes low-cost shoes, the Big Cactus is best known for wearing Reeboks during his career, as is, for example, Allen Iverson. So why not Jordan’s? During an interview with the Complex site, the colossus explained that his problem with the famous “J’s” dates back to his youth.
Shaq has hardly ever worn a Jordan… for some stupid reason
When Jordan’s came out, everyone was buying them, because it was the first time that sneakers like that came out. I wore Converse, the “Buddies” model, from memory. Cheap shoes. Anyway, everyone had Jordan’s. But I was doing odd jobs, mowing lawns, walking dogs, babysitting.
And when I went to the store they didn’t have my shoe size. Only 2 sizes below! So I tried them on, took them, and when I walked to school it was in great pain. This is the last time I wore Jordan’s. I have corns on my feet to this day because of these shoes.
It is therefore because of a bad first experience, because of size, that Shaq decided to draw a final line on the pairs of Jordan’s. A bit of a radical decision, of course, but all that did not prevent Diesel from signing one of the most significant careers in history. And that’s an understatement.
Shaquille O’Neal missed his appointment with the Jordan’s, for a simple story of size. It’s not easy to be a giant …
