Shaquille O’Neal, colloquially known as “Shaq,” will be joining Skechers’ growing lineup of high-profile sports icons—including NFL quarterback, Tony Romo, and rising Women’s golf champion, Brooke Henderson—as spokespeople for the brand to launch the brand’s first-ever kid’s footwear line designed specifically for the basketball court: Shaq by Skechers.
The collection will be launching with three colorways, according to the brand, and will include leather and knitted options to provide the young wearer with a “premium material” feel. Additionally, the line will be outfitted with lightweight midsoles and sticky rubber outsoles to provide improved grip and agility on the court.
The core styles of Shaq by Skechers will all be mid-height and come complete with a lace-up closure for that classic basketball sneaker look, excepting one style that will feature a single-trap velcro system for an adjustable, convenient fit. The sneakers will also be emblazoned with a “Shaq by Skechers” mark and a logo that captures the seven-foot Hall of Fame center mid-dunk.
“This all-new children’s basketball collection is an important addition to our offering, so it’s only fitting that we’re launching with the help of one of the biggest and best players in NBA history,” Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, said in a statement. “Fans everywhere continue to enjoy Shaq’s enthusiasm for the sport, so we know kids will be excited to wear his shoes while on the court or at play. We couldn’t ask for a better ambassador to help us bring athletic footwear to elementary and middle schoolers in a new and exciting way.”
Skechers has already rolled out the collection to its retail locations and e-commerce channels in the United States and plans on expanding it to Canada, Europe, Latin America and Israel later in the year. The brand’s better-than-expected international performance in its most recent financial report sent its stock to its highest point since 2015 and helped it break a company-record in revenue by recording $1.259 billion in sales for the quarter.
The brand has built up a reliable stable of All-Stars and celebrities—and the addition of Shaq and the children’s basketball category may be yet another way for Skechers to expand and keep up with increasingly difficult comps.
“I think kids are going to love the way the new styles look and they’ll love playing in them even more,” O’Neal said. “These boys and girls might not be dunking yet, but I can’t wait to see them posting up in their new Shaq by Skechers footwear!”