Opinion: John Wall -- Just Say No To Reebok

words_Zac Dubasik Let me set the scenario. Thanks to the horrible disappointment of players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwight Howard, you aren't able to head directly to the NBA. Even though you were expected to be the first pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, you are forced to play a year at Kentucky (which is not technically the pros).� While perhaps not an ideal scenario, you make the most of it. You take advantage of your many nationally televised games and impress audiences who, largely, tuned in just to see you play. An unceremonious Elite Eight exit aside, your freshman season is a smashing success and justly solidifies your name as the probable number one pick of the 2010 Draft. The Draft Lottery is now a thing of the past, and Washington D.C. is looking like the city you will call home for at least a few years. Now, the biggest piece left to fall into place is that all-important endorsement deal for any basketball player with such a high profile: their first sneaker contract. With his actions on and off the court, John Wall has made himself a desirable commodity. He can not only run the point as well as score, but he also has that X-factor that has made something known as the "John Wall Dance" one of the hottest moves since the Stanky Leg. There's not only a song about it, but even an official "Do The John Wall" music video. Wait, TWO "John Wall Dance" music videos, as well as countless other fan-created dance videos and even this. Wall just might be the most hyped name since LeBron to enter the League. His likability factor, on top of his true superstar basketball potential, has made him a major target of more than a few sneaker companies, including some brands you may have forgotten about. One such company is Reebok. You remember Reebok, right? You know, Allen Iverson? Super quick point guard from Georgetown with cornrows? The Question? The Answers 1 through 4? The Shaqnosis? The Kamikaze 2? Nothing ringing a bell still? Oh wait, I've got it! The EasyTone! No, not the Sketchers shoe, the other one that helps women tone their butts while they walk around. Believe it or not, all sources point to that exact company as heavily pursuing the sports marketing services of John Wall. And why not? Reebok's last hoops athlete to garner some press for something they did on-court (I'll just pretend the whole Gortat thing never happened) was Gerald Green, who did it by winning the 2008 Slam Dunk Contest title. Unfortunately Green's feet haven't touched an NBA court since the '08-'09 season, and he ended that season in Nikes. So, yeah, with AI all but officially finished, of course Reebok would want to sign John Wall. The company finally has emerging business thanks to the Easytone and ZigTech franchises, and their hoops category is in desperate need of a new featured athlete. The better question though, is why would John Wall want to sign with Reebok? One reason, and a pretty compelling one at that, could be for the money. Because of the aforementioned success in Womens, as well as the desperation of their basketball category, Reebok is reportedly offering Wall a contract that would pay him upwards of $4 Million annually. Nike, by contrast, is locked into high dollar-contracts with Kobe, LeBron and their most recent signature athlete in Kevin Durant. Durant was the last player to receive major money from any company, signing a reported seven-year deal worth $60 Million, and the trend is definitely moving towards smaller endorsement numbers for incoming players. (We try not to blame KD, but signature shoes just aren't what they once were.) Despite their NBA licensing contract, adidas' market share in hoops footwear is minimal, and recent pushes of players like Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard haven't seemed to translate into tangible sales. Under Armour, who appeared primed to make a big splash in the basketball world two seasons ago with their signing of Brandon Jennings, hasn't even managed to get a single model to hit retail - still! Taking these factors into account, it's reasonable to think that Reebok's potential money offer could be as good as, if not better, than any of its US-based competitors. So, if pulling a SuperCoolBeas and buying multiple Phantoms before the start of his rookie season is a top priority, John Wall may have found his sneaker company in Reebok. The upside for Wall signing with Reebok, outside of those initial dollars, is the chance to breathe life into a company that's all but dead in the basketball world. He would immediately become the face of the brand, rather than playing 10th fiddle at Nike. If things go right, he could help Reebok lure other players into (or back into) the fold, and restore some of the glory they rightfully had in the mid-'90s. In my opinion, there's only one company outside of Nike that has a truly memorable back-catalog of hoops kicks more extensive than just a handful of models, and that's Reebok. The problem is that Reebok is so far removed from those glory days now, that I'm not sure they can ever relive them. Bad product has led to a virtual disappearing act from the shelves of major retailers. I tried playing in a pair of Omni Pump Hex Rides a while back and was literally afraid of their stability. Marketing? Forget it. The last basketball campaign of note was probably the infamous "You Got Rondo'd" viral attempt, which was promptly followed by Rondo leaving for Nike the following season, where he has now become a legitimate superstar. I don't doubt that Reebok would attempt to step up their offerings in a major way if they were to sign Wall, but what have they done to show they even have the ability to deliver? If Wall were to sign with Reebok, and if everything were to go exactly right, there is an epic success story waiting to be told. But there are certainly a lot of "ifs" in that scenario. Wall could be the face of a resurrected brand, and deservedly take credit for its turnaround. Or, he could just as easily get his career off to a start of not being showcased properly, hampering his ability to ever fully capitalize on the marketing potential he's clearly shown. Wall needs to look at this decision very closely. He may get a few million more out of a deal with Reebok right now, but it could cost him many more millions in the future if they botch his most important developmental years. There are options that are close to a sure thing out there when it comes to Wall's product and marketing, and that would be Nike. With those set, Wall can let his game be the sole decider of how far he can take his endorsement career. Being his game is the thing he has the most control over, I like those chances a lot better.