Last year, Shareef O’Neal came heartbreakingly close to cracking the NBA. He inked a deal with the Sacramento Kings, only to get waived the next day and sent to their G-League squad. And rubbing salt to the wound, he didn’t make the final cut there either. But here’s where the story gets better. Instead of sulking, Shareef pivoted, teaming up with his dad, Shaquille O’Neal, to shake things up in the sneaker game. At Shaq’s request, Shareef jumped into a collab with Reebok, co-designing the brand’s first performance basketball shoe in over a decade, the “Engine A”. And now that the shoe’s officially out there, it’s making serious noise. So much so that 2023 NCAA champ Angel Reese had to jump in.

When Engine A dropped, Angel Reese wasted no time in lacing them up for her iconic “Barbie Night” game. It showed how Reebok has successfully blended high performance with street-smart style. And Shareef wasn’t just sitting back as the designer. He has been courtside, promoting the kicks and cheering on athletes like Reese from the jump. Now, here’s where it gets spicy. Shareef just cooked up a jaw-dropping custom pair for himself, and social media’s officially losing it. And, Reese, she’s right there in the mix.

In his latest Instagram post, Shareef showed off a pair of custom Reebok kicks that instantly set the internet on fire. The right shoe had a blue tongue with a pink body and bold black patches. While the left one goes full red with the same black accents. It was a beauty. The post’s a full carousel of nine shots. There are crisp photos and on-court videos of him putting those customs to work. Shareef wrote, “One day I’ll take over the world,” and fans flooded the comments. Right there in the mix was none other than Angel Reese.

In the comments under Shareef’s post, Angel Reese slid in with “wait I need this…” And if you know their history, you know that hits different. Remember, Reebok signed Reese as their first-ever NIL athlete back in 2023. And she’s already cooking up her own “Reebok by Angel” collection, with her signature shoe dropping in 2026. So, is this just Reese shooting her shot for a fresh pair? Or are we low-key witnessing the birth of a collab moment? However, while Reese is over here showing love for Shareef’s custom kicks, word on the street says Reebok might’ve rejected one of her early shoe concepts.

A wild rumor claims Reebok turned down Angel Reese’s $1,000 sneaker idea

On June 4, 2025, Angel Reese teamed up with Reebok to drop the ‘Pretty Gritty’ player-exclusive of the Engine A silhouette. Priced at £88 ($120), the fresh kicks capture Reese’s bold style while cementing her growing status in the sneaker game. With a full signature line reportedly on deck for 2026, this release feels like another big win for both sides. But of course, the internet wouldn’t be the internet without a little drama. Not long after the launch, rumors started swirling that Reese originally wanted her shoe to retail for $1,000 a pair. And that Reebok shut it down cold. The claim spread like wildfire, but is there any actual truth behind the noise?

A Facebook post is making waves now. According to the post, Reebok wasn’t having the proposal of Resse. And quickly shut the idea down, calling it way too steep for the market. The rumor didn’t just sit there; it picked up speed across social media like a snowball rolling downhill. The post even claimed, “BREAKING: Reebok rejected Angel Reese’s proposal to price her new shoe brand at a whopping $1,000 per pair, arguing that her brand justifies the premium cost. Originally, Reebok suggested $40 per pair, but after negotiations and strategizing to promote her brand, they settled on $150. 👀”

Despite all the buzz, as of now, there’s zero proof that Angel Reese pitched that price tag. Or that Reebok shot it down. Every legit report out there sticks to what’s real. That is her Pretty Gritty colorway launch and the signature line she’s cooking up for 2026. Until someone or some legit websites bring out hard evidence, this story’s just another internet whisper making the rounds.