Shaquille O’Neal × Damian Lillard: Hip Hop and Hoops Collide in Epic Reebok × adidas “Damenosis” Collaboration, October 19
Reebok and adidas have confirmed the official release of their highly anticipated “Damenosis” collaboration, bringing together the worlds of hip hop and basketball through icons Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard. “Damenosis” drops with two narrative footwear models: Reebok’s Shaqnosis and adidas’ Dame 7 EXPLY “Damenosis,” launching globally beginning October 19 from Reebok and adidas respectively, and select local retailers.
Following the brother brands’ summer 2020 hoops collaboration that brought together legendary guards Allen Iverson and James Harden, Reebok and adidas basketball have partnered once again, this time to honor icons Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard, two basketball icons who share a love for music and creative expression.
adidas’ Dame 7 EXTPLY basketball sneaker draws inspiration from Lillard’s on-court and off-court passions. Each sneaker from the adidas DAME 7 EXTPLY series is presented as a musical “track” – the final being a surprise collaboration with Shaquille O’Neal, the only professional basketball player to release a certified platinum music album. Together, ‘Shaq’ and ‘Dame’ – with Reebok and adidas – continue to blaze a trail for athletes with creative aspirations.
In “Damenosis,” Dame’s signature sneaker is brought to life in Shaq’s iconic “Shaqnosis” colorway, while Shaq’s historic Reebok Shaqnosis is presented in colors nodding Dame’s musical iconoclast.
Introduced in 1995, Reebok’s “Shaqnosis” embodied the larger-than-life, multi-dimensional persona of superstar athlete, actor and rapper, Shaquille O’Neal. This fifth signature shoe by Reebok, for Shaq, helped dispel the notion that big men couldn’t sell sneakers.
“I came in the era where the statement was made that big guys can’t sell shoes so when Reebok gave me my first opportunity, I just wanted to represent for the big guys, plus I always saw myself as a guard in a big man’s body,” said O’Neal in a recent video interview with Lillard.
26 years later, “Shaqnosis” gets a reimagining in the form of the “Damenosis” linking O’Neal to an NBA guard in Lillard, who embodies the fierce competitive spirit of Shaq on the court and a shared love of music off the court.
“For a legend who has done so well on and off the court being willing to attach his name to mine and connecting over a shoe, that’s a special honor,” said Lillard.
Dame’s signature sneaker is brought to life in Shaq’s iconic “Shaqnosis” colorway. The “Damenosis” features a subtle fade on upper and tooling, inspired by iconic Shaq “Shaq Fu” hat image. In addition, there’s a special elevated toe box with both player and brand logos.
Reebok’s Shaqnosis ($150, GX2609) and adidas’ Dame 7 EXPLY “Damenosis” launch globally October 19 from Reebok.com and adidas.com respectively and select local retailers.
