Allen Iverson Reveals Jordan Brand Presented A Signature Sneaker Before He Signed With Reebok

Allen Iverson could've been Nike's golden boy... he chose Reebok instead.

Former Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson was almost “The Answer” to who was the first signature athlete to sign with Jordan Brand.

According to Complex, Nike presented Iverson with the “Bubba Chuck” basketball shoe prototype to entice him to sign with Jordan Brand in 1996. Iverson reminisced about the meeting he had with Nike executives before he ended up signing with Reebok.

On an episode of The Complex Sneakers Podcast back in 2021, Nike and Jordan Brand executive Gentry Humphrey divulged that the company showed “The Answer (Iverson’s nickname through his NBA career and the name of his signature shoe from Reebok),” a model that was described as a cross between an Air Jordan 11 and a Zoom Flight 95.

Iverson was asked about that meeting, and he verified that he could have signed with the sneaker giant.

“I remember that like it was yesterday. That was a big decision for me,” Iverson told Joe La Puma. “[Nike] had a shoe, but I was convinced when I went into a meeting with Reebok that that’s what I wanted to do. They were great salespeople. They made me comfortable about getting to where I’m at right now.”

His longstanding relationship with Reebok has been beneficial as he was appointed vice president of Reebok Basketball.

Iverson is set to be honored once again by the 76ers on April 12. The team announced that a sculpture depicting his likeness will be unveiled at a ceremony at the Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. The sculpture of Iverson will be placed next to several other 76ers legends. Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain, Maurice Cheeks, Billy Cunningham, Julius Erving, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, and Dolph Schayes have sculptures along the 76ers Legends Walk at the Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex.

The 2001 NBA MVP took the 76ers to the NBA Finals in the same year he won the MVP award. During his career with the franchise, he averaged 27.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.3 steals in 41.4 minutes per game.