The NBA is a constantly changing landscape. Be it the sport itself or anything and everything related to it? The rise in the importance of three-point shooting or the interest in position-less basketball; the inclusion of technology into the NBA to turn it into a highly immersive experience for the fans; or, more to our point, the increasing involvement of athletes in the creation of their signature shoes. And yet, despite all these revolutionary changes, many cling to the age-old adage – Big men can’t sell shoes. Even if you are the 3x MVP, Nikola Jokic.

Interestingly enough, the latest to voice this out is none other than ex-Warriors star, Gilbert Arenas. Known for his wild takes, “Agent Zero” explained why he believed that big men like the “Joker” or Joel Embiid can’t sell shoes.

Gilbert Arenas takes a crack at explaining why big men like Nikola Jokic can’t sell shoes

“This is a business first,” Gil stated, ensuring that fact was clear. “Who’s the best players in the league? MVPs? Jokic, Embiid. Jokic got three MVPs. He can’t crack the top eight in jersey sales. Shoes – Nike didn’t touch him. Adidas didn’t touch him. No big shoe company touch him. He doesn’t have a [signature] shoe. He had to go some outside company, something 360. [361 Degree],” he said in the latest episode of his appearance on Vlad TV. 

Well, if we are stating facts, he was signed to Nike for the entirety of his NBA career until last December when Nick DePaula tweeted the news that the “Joker” said his goodbyes to the footwear giant in favor of a multi-year deal and a signature line with the Chinese performance footwear brand 361°. But yes, even after winning two back-to-back MVPs, Nike didn’t think it prudent to discuss the possibility of his own signature shoes.

In fact, while stating his reasons for the switch, the 2023 NBA champ said something that hinted at a possible slight. “361 showed up with great respect for me,” Nikola Jokic said. Going back to Arenas, the 3x All-Star wasn’t done listing his reasons. Taking the technical route, the popular podcaster notes, “Big guys is just hard to sell because the customers is from the ages of basically 4 to about 17. So the size of those guys, can’t even fathom how tall they are!”

Does this argument have a foundation?

Well, if you ask the former editor-in-chief at Sole Collector and popular sneakerhead Gerald Flores, it’s one of the major reasons why the bias continues. “It’s easier to emulate someone like a Kyrie Irving, or a Steph Curry, instead of someone who is just seven feet tall and can stand near the rim and average a double-double.” That’s the on-court side of things. What about the off-court aspect?

“Just from a marketing standpoint, you could have a lot more fun showcasing a three-point shot. You can tell that they’re underdog stories. You can’t do that as easily with big men,” he confessed.

When it comes to dominant big men of the NBA, the list would be incomplete without the biggest of them all. Shaquille O’Neal, though, wouldn’t you say? So what was their take on Shaq?

“He had Payless shoes,”: Arenas believes Shaq’s Walmart move was the perfect example to prove his argument

Listening to Gil’s reasonings, the host of the show proceeded to bring attention to Shaq. He pointed out that the big man didn’t really sell that many shoes, considering his popularity. “He had to go start his own shoe company at one point!” he said incredulously. “He had to move through Payless shoes and make it really cheap. So, it’s cheaper to get, like it’s affordable for the poor kids,” Arenas said in response to that.

The pair was, of course, referring to the Lakers legend’s decision to drop a $40 million deal with Reebok and start his own line, the ‘Shaq Brand’, by joining hands with Walmart. The price point for those shoes was $19-$29. Had he not decided to leave Reebok in 1998, the 13x All-Star would have been $40,000,000 million richer, per Boardroom (2023).

But was his decision because they weren’t flying off the shelves?

Bear in mind – we are not talking about the ‘Big Diesel’ just in terms of his towering 7-foot frame. The very personality and the attention that O’Neal’s presence commands is more than enough to dwarf, say, even Yao Ming! And much like almost every other aspect related to Shaquille O’Neal, he was an exception here as well. After Nike declined his demand for a signature line, Reebok entered the picture with $15 million, signature shoes, and the 4x champion’s final requirement – complete creative control.

The result was a flourishing business from 1992 to 1998. In fact, ‘Shaqnosis’, widely regarded as one of the greatest shoes of all time, went against the usual norms associated with the shoes of big men. It wasn’t chunky, or heavy. With its iconic black-and-white circular design, the sleek model remains one of the retro fan favorites to this day.

What about his Walmart shoes? In a 2021 interview, he disclosed that they sold over 400 million pairs of affordable shoes. Around a million pairs are sold in a month alone! So, that brings us back to the question – what or where exactly was the problem? Yang Yi-Goh, GQ’s Style Editor, has the answer to that.

“Oftentimes, big men weren’t offered top priority. Outside of exceptions [like Shaq], sneaker companies really just weren’t giving their best stuff to the big fellas.” 

Food for thought, wouldn’t you say?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.