1995, Bryant “Big Country” Reeves is drafted number 6 overall in the NBA Draft. During his days as a star at Oklahoma State, Reeves started to get the attention of sneaker enthusiasts by wearing a plethora of Nike Basketball classics like the Air Uptempo.
(Although, he did come into the league when everyone wore serious heat.)
His partnership with Nike continued into the NBA, where he played for the Vancouver Grizzlies alongside guys like Mike Bibby and Shareef Abdur-Raheem. Despite wearing classics like the Air Max 2 Strong and others (and the best jerseys ever?), Reeves somehow decided to make the change to another brand…
Warner Brothers. Yeah, that’s right. WARNER BROTHERS. What’s even crazier is that he isn’t the only player to do so! Yep, Glen Rice also signed to wear WB sneakers. It must have been the visions of Space Jam that danced in their heads.
Regardless, Reeves’ NBA career was short lived, not due lack of skill, at one point he was averaging 17 points a game and 8 rebounds, but injuries got the best of him. Hmmm, perhaps it was the shoes.
Happy birthday, Big Country.
Nick Engvall is a sneaker enthusiast with over 15 years of experience in the footwear business. He has written for publications such as Complex, Sole Collector, and Sneaker News, helped companies like Eastbay, Finish Line, Foot Locker, StockX, and Stadium Goods better connect with their consumers, has an addiction to burritos and Sour Patch Kids, and owns way too many shoes for his own good.
