Allen Iverson’s position as the VP of Reebok basketball has been celebrated recently. However, not many people know about the role Reebok has played in AI’s life. The NBA veteran was once on the verge of going broke and it was his deal with the footwear giant that saved him.

The 11x NBA All-Star revealed his 27-year-long relationship with the brand, saying that the lifetime deal with Reebok is exactly what it turned out to be, maybe in more ways than one. The Answer also highlighted the one important aspect of his work with the brand that he values the most.

Reebok holds a special place in Allen Iverson’s heart

During a recent interview with FN, he was asked “What has been the highlight of your time with Reebok over the years?” Iverson said, “Longevity. We still here. It started in ’96 and we still here.” The NBA veteran values the long-term relationship that he has had with the multi-billion-dollar company. Talking about his lifetime deal with Reebok, he said, “When I signed that lifetime contract, that’s exactly what it is. With the new ownership [Authentic Brands Group] coming in, we picked right back up, hit the ground running.” The 11x NBA All-Star is also fond of the people who have worked with him through all these years.

Iverson said, “I love my people there, I love the way they treat me. I love our relationship and how it’s developed and gotten better.” With his new role at Reebok as the VP of basketball alongside President Shaquille O’Neal, Iverson is gearing up for a new chapter in his life. The duo has already signed talents like Angel Reese and Shakur Stevenson to the brand and has even bigger plans in the pipeline. There are several reasons why AI values his relationship with Reebok. His being financially saved by the company is merely one of them.

When Reebok saved Allen Iverson from going broke

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AI made over $200 million in career earnings while he was an active player. It’s safe to say that he was accustomed to a certain lifestyle and was giving a similar experience to people around him. This led to him draining his money and eventually failing on payments. This was brought to light when he failed to pay $900,000 to a Georgia jeweler.

After realizing that he didn’t have the funds to write that check, Iverson got a cold hard look at reality. However, he was saved by the lifetime deal he has with Reebok that pays him $800,000 a year, and the $32 million payment that they set aside in a trust fund for him. Reebok’s condition was that AI would only be able to access that money once he is 55 years old, which he will be in 2030.

The company really saved him in his worst moment, and now that he is more mature, they’ve given him the responsibility to run their basketball division alongside Shaq.

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