Reebok Shaq Attaq Release Date, Price, Where To Buy

A sneaker classic is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is getting a retro release. But no, I’m not talking about an Air Jordan or Nike model, no even an Adidas. No, I’m talking about one of Reebok’s most memorable signature athletes, Shaquille O’Neal, and his first signature shoe for the Vector, the Shaq Attaq. The OG colorway will drop on Friday with a retail price of $180.

Michael Jordan was the undisputed king of the NBA in 1992, but Shaq could perhaps be considered its crown prince, albeit with a streak of jester in him. O’Neal was perhaps one of the most unique athletes to ever enter the league — a prime combination of size, athleticism and a larger-than-life personality. O’Neal had a mega-watt smile and a promoter’s flair, which of course lead to many endorsement deals, including with Pepsi and Taco Bell, and roles in movies. However, his sneaker future was not assured.

It was traditionally believed that big men did not sell sneakers. And for the most part, that holds true. Look at some of the biggest endorsers in history: Jordan, Iverson, Penny, Kobe, T-Mac — all guards. Now, you could argue that players like Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen and LeBron James have broken that trend a bit, but it’s easy to understand why centers don’t always get the sneaker love (or the bag). Reebok would even eventually play into the whole big man thing by having Shaq star in a Super Bowl commercial with legendary big men Bill Russell, Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

As Shaq explained in an episode of the excellent Complex Sneaker Shopping in 2021, Nike was interested but didn’t want to give him a signature shoe. He had met with Reebok and decided to wear all Reebok to his upcoming meeting with Nike, which torpedoed a chance at a deal with the Swoosh but he claims earned him a little bit extra from Reebok.

As for the shoe releasing on Friday, the Shaq Attaq was the sneaker Shaq wore during his rookie season with the Orlando Magic. Designed by Judy Close, the shoe features the Reebok Pump technology, which I have written about in the past, as well as a white leather upper with black and royal hits as well as an anodized collar and a Graphlite plate on the outsole. And, of course, the shoe features Shaq’s famed Dunkman logo on the back. This shoe screams “early 1990s.”

The shoe last re-released for its 25th anniversary in 2017, and has an average sale price of $298 on StockX with 29 percent volatility. Now that Shaq is more heavily involved with Reebok following its sale to Authentic Brands Group, it’s possible we could see more of his Reebok catalog get retro releases. Best of luck to any looking to pick up a pair of these underrated gems from the 1990s!

To see more of this month’s releases, check out our release date calendar.