One NBA player has sold more than 200 million pairs of shoes, but you won't find them at Nike, Adidas, or Under Armour.

Time for a thread 👇👇👇

1) First, some history...

From Clyde Frazier & Puma to LeBron James & Nike, signature shoes have been a staple in the NBA since the early 1970s.

Simply put, every player wants one.

Including 20-year-old Shaquille O'Neal, who met with Nike & Reebok before the 1982 NBA Draft.

2) When @SHAQ met with Nike before the 1982 NBA draft, he made his desire clear:

"I wanted my own shoe."

The result?

Nike declined, as they had just signed Alonzo Mourning.

"That pissed me off...They didn’t escort me out, but the meeting was short.”

Next up, Reebok.

3) After Nike declined to offer him a signature shoe, Shaq received a $15M offer from Reebok — which included a signature shoe & apparel line.

Even better?

Shaq demanded complete creative control.

“I wanted to create all of my own commercials.”

They obliged, and he accepted.

4) From 1992 to 1998, the relationship between Reebok and @SHAQ flourished.

Not only did they make 6 signature shoes together, but Shaq turned into a perennial All-Star — benefitting Reebok with millions in sales.

Everything was great until one interaction changed everything...