The basketball world is reeling from what can only be described as the most bewildering endorsement fiasco in recent memory. Shaquille O’Neal’s high-stakes gamble to crown Angel Reese as the face of Reebok’s basketball revival has detonated into a full-blown PR nightmare, leaving the brand teetering on the brink of financial chaos. The fans? They’re not just angry—they’re demanding the contract be torched immediately.

It all started at the All-Star Weekend in Indiana. Angel Reese, decked out in Reebok from head to toe, was supposed to ignite a new era for the once-legendary sneaker giant. Instead, she became the punchline of the night. Viral clips of her missed layups spread like wildfire, with commentators barely containing their laughter on live TV. One moment, the arena buzzed with anticipation; the next, the crowd was stunned into silence as Reese bricked shot after shot, her signature shoe campaign unraveling in real time.

While Caitlin Clark shatters records and Sophie Cunningham wins hearts with effortless charm, Angel Reese is trending for all the wrong reasons. Her layup percentage has plummeted to an almost unbelievable 31.5%, making her the league’s most inefficient scorer at the rim—despite taking the third most attempts in the WNBA. The stats don’t lie, and neither do the memes: TikTok is flooded with slow-motion replays, circus music, and viral compilations titled “When Basketball Isn’t Your Calling.”

Reebok’s executives are scrambling. Insiders whisper about crisis meetings behind closed doors, with some suggesting the brand might pivot Reese’s signature shoe from performance gear to lifestyle fashion—anything to distance themselves from the basketball disaster playing out nightly. The 2026 launch, once hyped as a comeback, now looms as a corporate catastrophe. As one industry insider put it, “This is the biggest brand blunder since New Coke.”

Shaq himself is reportedly furious. Sources close to the Hall of Famer say he’s “deeply disappointed” and feels “betrayed” by the campaign’s collapse. The plan was simple: ride the Gen Z wave, relaunch Reebok basketball, and let Angel Reese lead the charge. But instead of buzzer-beaters and highlight reels, Shaq’s gamble has delivered viral bloopers and mounting losses. The Chicago Sky, with Reese at the helm, have sunk to a dismal 7-21 record, losing eight straight and showing no signs of recovery. When Reese sat out five games with a back injury, the team went winless—a paradox that’s left fans and analysts scratching their heads.

Commentators have stopped pretending. During a recent game, after yet another point-blank miss, one announcer couldn’t help but laugh—a sound that echoed the disbelief of millions watching at home. “This isn’t just a couple of bad plays,” said one analyst. “This is the new normal.” Social media has become a feeding frenzy, with fans demanding Reebok “fire the baby giraffe” and memes comparing Reese’s missed layups to a Vegas slot machine—pull the lever and pray.

What’s worse, Reebok CEO Todd Kinsky boldly compared Reese to legends like Allen Iverson and Shaq, claiming she could be a culture-changing force. But instead of changing the game, Reese has redefined what not to do in professional sports. The brand’s entire relaunch strategy is now in jeopardy, with marketing executives reportedly considering new careers as the crisis deepens.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Injuries, mounting losses, and a viral reputation for missed opportunities have turned Reebok’s dream into a nightmare. Even ticket sales for the highly anticipated Reese vs. Clark showdown collapsed when Clark was sidelined with a quad injury—fans simply weren’t interested in watching another episode of the Reese blooper reel.

But perhaps the most damning indictment comes from the numbers. Most pros convert layups at 70-80%. Reese? Just 31.5%. Scouts are double-checking their glasses, and coaches are running out of excuses. The Chicago Sky’s offense, built around Reese, is so uninspiring that practice squads look competitive by comparison. When your star player’s most viral moments involve missing wide-open shots, you’ve got bigger problems than a weak bench.

Reebok’s experiment with Angel Reese is now a cautionary tale—a warning label for brands everywhere. Sure, she trends, but so do traffic accidents. That doesn’t mean you name a highway after them. As the internet immortalizes every missed layup, every blocked shot, and every moment of disbelief, Reebok faces an uncomfortable truth: they bet big on viral fame, but forgot that greatness—not memes—sells sneakers.