words // Brandon Richard
With Allen Iverson's Question set to return to stores later this month, many sneakerheads have been calling for the return of other mid-90s Reebok hoop classics. Among the requests has been Shaquille O'Neal's Shaqnosis, a hypnotic black and white silhouette that originally released back in 1996. Along with shoes like the Kamikaze and Blast, the Shaqnosis helped define an era of Reebok classics and is often singled out as Shaq's best signature shoe. For years sneakerheads have clamored over a potential Shaqnosis return, and a photo that surfaced today may suggest that is indeed on the horizon...kinda.
The magazine photo below shows an updated version of the Shaqnosis, complete with modern Reebok "R" branding on the tongue and large Hexalite cushioning windows toward the heel. This Shaqnosis revamp follows a in the path of the new Kamikaze, Sermon and Blast models, all of which are newer versions of mid-90s Reebok Basketball classics. You'll also notice a second Shaqnosis 2012 colorway with alternating Orlando-themed black and blue swirls.
When this photo hit the Internet yesterday, the general reaction from the sneaker community seemed to be outrage. As somebody who calls the Shaqnosis his all-time favorite sneaker, I found it completely understandable. However, our friend G-Roc from TheShoeGame is reporting that according to Reebok Classics sources, the Shaqnosis 2012 is just a sample and will not be released.
Were any collectors out there actually excited by the "updated" Shaqnosis? Are you still hoping for a retro release true to the original? Sound off in the comment section.
via DeFY
