In a bold move blending sports, culture, and commerce, Shaquille O’Neal’s media company Jersey Legends (a division of Authentic Studios) has joined forces with The Intellectual Property Corporation (part of Sony Pictures Television) to produce Power Moves, a six-episode docuseries centered on the revival of iconic sportswear brand Reebok. The series premieres globally on Netflix on June 4.
Reebok’s Comeback: A Cultural Movement in the Making
Power Moves offers an unfiltered, all-access look at the ambitious turnaround underway at Reebok, led by none other than NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal, now President of Reebok Basketball, and Allen Iverson, the newly appointed Vice President.
Filmed across the U.S., including Reebok’s Boston HQ, the series dives deep into the brand’s strategic reboot—from boardroom brainstorms to grassroots athlete signings. With initiatives like Reebok’s first NIL deal with WNBA star Angel Reese, the brand is clearly aiming to connect with younger, culturally influential audiences and reclaim its seat at the table of global athletic wear.
A Legacy Rewritten
Reebok’s journey has been anything but smooth. After its dominance in the ’80s and ’90s as Nike’s biggest challenger, the brand entered a period of prolonged decline following its acquisition by Adidas in 2005. It wasn’t until Authentic Brands Group purchased Reebok in 2021 that the spark of revival began.
Shaquille O’Neal—an Authentic shareholder and a Reebok partner since his rookie season in 1992—was instrumental in this acquisition. His new leadership role marks a full-circle moment: from endorsed athlete to executive reshaping the brand’s future. Iverson, meanwhile, remains one of the most iconic Reebok athletes of all time, with his Question and Answer sneaker lines still revered.
More Than Sneakers: It’s Leadership with Personality
In Shaq’s own words:
“Power Moves isn’t just about sneakers or titles. It’s about showing the work behind building something meaningful… Reebok gave me my start, and now I get to help write its next chapter.”
This series, executive produced by O’Neal, Colin Smeeton, Mike Parris, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, and Jamie Renberg, with Ian Gelfand as showrunner, promises to reveal not only the business strategy behind Reebok’s resurgence but also the emotional and cultural threads that drive it.
As Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky puts it:
“This isn’t just a comeback, it’s a cultural movement… What Shaq, Allen, and our team are building is electric.”
Is This the Future for Brands?
Absolutely—and here’s why.
Power Moves isn’t just another docuseries. It’s a playbook for modern brand-building—and potentially the future for legacy companies looking to reinvent themselves in a crowded, attention-fragmented world.
Here’s what Reebok is doing right—and what other brands can learn from it:
1. Storytelling as Strategy
Consumers no longer want just products—they want narratives. Reebok is leveraging documentary storytelling to emotionally reintroduce itself to a new generation. It’s not marketing. It’s myth-making.
2. Celebrity Executives as Culture Catalysts
Shaq and Iverson aren’t just faces—they’re operators. Their elevation into leadership roles sends a message that Reebok is back with soul. This model of turning cultural icons into boardroom architects will likely be replicated across sports, fashion, and entertainment.
3. Netflix as the New Super Bowl Ad
Global streaming launches offer massive reach and engagement—far beyond traditional ad campaigns. Why fight for 30 seconds during the Super Bowl when you can own a narrative for six episodes?
4. Community-Driven Brand Revival
From NIL deals to grassroots partnerships, Reebok isn’t just signing influencers—it’s building ecosystems. This is not about top-down marketing; it’s bottom-up community activation.
5. Owned IP = Owned Attention
Jersey Legends, backed by O’Neal’s credibility and storytelling experience (see Shaq on HBO and Oscar-winning Queen of Basketball), is creating brand equity through original content. In a noisy world, owning your narrative is a moat.
Final Word: Not a Comeback, a Blueprint
Reebok’s resurgence through Power Moves could very well become a case study in modern brand resurrection. It’s the convergence of:
- Legacy athletes turned visionaries,
- Nostalgia weaponized through streaming content,
- And smart business decisions wrapped in culture-first storytelling.
For brands sitting on history but lacking relevance, this model isn’t just inspiring—it’s essential.
Want strategic insight into how your brand can apply similar principles? Get in touch.
