Shaquille O'Neal, who helped a teen get size 23 shoes, once turned down $40 million after being berated by a mother over the cost of his shoes
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has been known to give back to those in need as much as any retired athlete.
The big man once again showcased his generosity last month when he helped out a 14-year-old boy named Eric Kilburn Jr. This came after the 6-foot-10 boy had been suffering from foot pain as he could not find shoes to fit his massive size 23 feet.
However, O’Neal’s mission to help children get the right footwear dates back to his playing days when he was once called out by a mother.
Speaking on the “Full Send Podcast” in 2021, "Shaq" told the story of a mother who berated him over the unaffordable price of his shoes.
“I’m leaving the arena one day and this lady is ripping me a new one,” O’Neal said.
“‘You motherf****r, you’re charging these babies all this money for the shoes.’ I had like $2,000 in my pocket, and I was like, ‘Ma’am. I don’t make the prices. Here you go.’”
However, O’Neal explained that the woman didn’t accept the money he offered her as compensation. Instead, she smacked it out of his hand and told him that athletes should make shoes more affordable for children.
O’Neal’s Reebok shoes were selling for $100 at the time and he had a five-year, $40 million shoe deal with the company. However, the former LA Lakers superstar felt so moved by the mother’s words that he decided to start his own more affordable brand called “Shaq Brand:”
“I thought about it,” O’Neal said.
“I was like, ‘You know what? She’s right.’ So that day I cut ties with Reebok and started my own brand.”
Shaquille O'Neal partnered with Walmart to produce the affordable shoe line, with each pair of shoes costing around $20. At the time of his interview, O’Neal said the retailer had sold 400 million pairs of shoes. He added that he doesn’t care how much he loses from the shoe line as long as he’s helping kids in need.
“I don’t give a s**t how much money I lose making these kids look good and feel good,” O’Neal said.
“Even though they’re $20 shoes, you can still feel good about them.”
Shaquille O'Neal’s conversation about giving up his $40 million Reebok shoe deal starts at the 41:56 mark below.
Eric Kilburn Jr. on the help he received from Shaquille O'Neal
As for Eric Kilburn Jr.’s story, it was originally published by Today.com last month. When Shaquille O'Neal saw the story on Instagram, he quickly commented on the post.
“I got you big man,” O’Neal said.
A few days later, Kilburn received five pairs of Reebok sneakers that had originally been custom-made for O’Neal. The big man also called Kilburn to speak with him one-on-one.
O’Neal explained that he related to his story as his mother also struggled to find him shoes that fit growing up. The NBA legend then offered to hook Kilburn up with a shoe designer who makes custom dress shoes up to size 26.
“I was flabbergasted,” Kilburn said.
“My soul left my body for a moment, I was so shocked.”
The day after their call, Kilburn then received a text message from O’Neal:
“There’s much more coming big man. Love you,” O’Neal said.
Kilburn’s story also inspired others to get involved to help. This includes big shoe companies such as Reebok, Under Armour and Puma. A GoFundMe has also raised more than $24,000 for Kilburn.
“We were so blown away by the support from not only our community but the nation, maybe even global,” Kilburn’s mother Rebecca said.
“The icing on the cake for my boys was Shaquille O'Neal reaching out and showing them so much love. So genuinely kind, and not looking for the spotlight — just wanting to reach out and connect with Eric. Jr.”
For Today.com's full story on Eric Kilburn Jr., click here.
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