You just can’t talk about Allen Iverson and basketball without bringing hip-hop into the mix. He was instrumental in building a connection between the two worlds, becoming an icon for hip-hop-oriented basketball players and fans. He was the first NBA star to introduce hip-hop culture to the league. He ushered in the era of oversized clothes and flashy jewels. If you ever have doubts, remember the classic commercial that was almost a music video, featuring AI and another legend, Jadakiss. But what happened to its sequel?
The Answer turned 50 this year! Paying a heartwarming tribute to the legend, two of his close friends and legendary artists, Jadakiss and Fat Joe, sat down to share some of the wildest and lesser-known stories and experiences about the 2001 MVP. Their conversation swiftly moved to the classic Reebok commercial, shot entirely in black and white, which till date remains one of the most iconic commercials involving an NBA legend!
The commercial was shot for Iverson’s A5 sneaker. The manner in which it was shot, that almost felt like a music video. Jadakiss wrote an original song and rapped it while Iverson showcased his skills on the court. However, this commercial never got a sequel. As Jadakiss recalled, he was all set to sign the contract with the company. It was also decided that both Jadakiss’ son and Iverson’s youngest child at the time would be part of the new commercial.
But the sequel was cancelled for one reason. As the $6 million rapper (as per Celebrity Net Worth) shared, ‘“He’s doing a w–d transaction with somebody else on the set. They get busted, they turn the whole s— like it was kilos though the big cameras came out.”
“They flashing the w–d, they stopped the whole s— they called it off. My man ended up getting arrested in the middle of shooting and s— I had to bail him out and I f—– up a bag,” Jadakiss frustratingly ended his story.
Looking back at those commercials, it’s impressive how much impact Iverson had on the fans, past and present. When asked what was the reason behind such a huge impact, Iverson gave an interesting answer. He once explained on SHOWTIME Basketball (All The smoke) that he felt that the company let him “do what we wanted to do. They just wanted to do something different. They (Reebok) were always open to letting me be me. They never tried to market me or promote me as no one other than who I am and that’s why the relationship is outstanding the way it is.“
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However, in the latest Netflix docuseries, it was revealed that the sports apparel brand allmost didn’t sign the $50 million deal with the NBA player. How did it happen?
Who convinced the former Reebok CEO to sign Allen Iverson?
Netflix just dropped one of the most exciting docuseries, Power Moves, which follows former NBA players Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson as they work behind the scenes quietly to revive Reebok to its original glory. Throughout the series, the legends also reflect on the past such as the pivotal moment when Reebok signed Iverson.
Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky recalls that it was his friend Que Gaskins who suggested they attend the boardroom meeting where Iverson’s deal was being discussed. During that meeting, they realized that their then-CEO Paul Fireman had doubts about offering such a huge deal, worth $50 million, to Iverson.
“Paul’s famous line was, there’ll always be another Allen Iverson. And in unison, Que and I got up and said, no, there won’t,” Todd recalled. Krinsky remembered how he and his friends not only disagreed but also detailed the massive cultural impact Iverson had on fans.
They weren’t wrong. The Philadelphia 76ers legend and Reebok went on to launch some of the brand’s most iconic collections that remain evergreen classics. Reebok and Allen Iverson has connection of a lifetime, literally, as AI has signed a lifetime contract with the sports brand. And their collaboration will forever be remembered, just like that famous commercial with Jadakiss.
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