You will have to be a pretty big Shaq fan or “sneakerhead” to get the most out of Netflix’s basketball reality seriesPower Moves with Shaquille O’Neal. Blurring the line between entertainment and marketing,Power Movesstars NBA legend and sports analyst Shaquille O’Neal, who remains one of the most recognizable faces in professional basketball.Power Movesalso features several appearances from NBA iconAllen Iverson (A.I.), who currently serves as Vice President of Basketball at Reebok. Shaq and A.I. have plenty of history and both are significant figures in Reebok’s vintage basketball shoes and apparel.
There are countless moments in which Shaq, A.I., andReebok CEO Todd Krinsky pitch to others – and to the camera – about all that Reebok is doingto revitalize their basketball brand in the modern era. At times, the show feels like a real-life version ofNBA 2K’s MyCareer mode, in which players must select between brand deals from all the major players, including Nike, Adidas, Under Armor, and Jordan. Without the inclusion of Shaq’s son, Shareef O’Neal, to break up the pitch meetings and sneaker showcases,Power Moveswould literally be one big commercial.
Shaq Fans Will Love The Inside Access To His Personal & Professional Life In Power Moves
Shaq & Reebok Personnel Take Up Just About Every Frame Of The Series
Netflix was wise to drop this new Shaq series on the heels of the final episode ofInside the NBA, a beloved basketball pre-game/halftime/post-game show that Shaq has starred in since 2011. That said,Power Movesis much less of a true basketball docuseries like Netflix’s other offerings, such asCourt of GoldandStarting 5. Only a handful of NBA players are actually featured in it, many of whom only the most avid of basketball fans will have heard of.
For those interested in seeing how Shaq operates behind the scenes on brand deals and sneaker design, Power Moves is perfection.
Playing David to the collective Goliath of Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor,Reebok starts on the ground floor to recruit new talent, several of whom are still fresh out of high school. Shaq, A.I., and their Reebok team are swooping in about as early as humanly possible, thanks to the recent authorization and rise of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals for non-professional, primarily college, athletes. Among Reebok’s recruits inPower Movesare Stanford phenom Jazzy Davidson and five-star recruit Ace Bailey, both of whom ultimately signed elsewhere.
Shaq, A.I., and Reebok eventually sign G-League star Dink Pate, WBNA player Dijonai Corrington, and an 18-year-old Tennessee commit named Nate Ament. The one NBA player they’re able to convince isMatas Buzelis, a 20-year-old forward who was drafted by the Chicago Bullslast year. If these names don’t light up your eyes or even ring a bell, thenPower Movesmay not be the most invigorating watch. For those interested in seeing how Shaq operates behind the scenes on brand deals and sneaker design, this show is perfection.
Limited Drama & Stakes Make Power Moves A Mildly Entertaining Watch
Power Moves Obviously Tries To Turn Its Viewers Into Customers
For better or worse,Power Movesdoesn’t cast a wide net with its target audience. Those who love and follow basketball will likely be the only people who sit through all six episodes, while those who have only seen Shaq in clips and movies won’t think twice about scrolling straight by it.
Shaq and A.I.’s efforts to revitalize their diminished shoe brand are notable, andPower Movesitself is so obviously one of those strategies.
Those expecting an emotional moment from this Netflix sports series to make internet headlines, like Kevin Durant’s rare moment of vulnerability inCourt of Gold, will come up empty-handed. Shaq’s words forShareef, who survived open-heart surgeryand must choose whether to pursue his basketball career or continue working for his dad at Reebok, are about as touching as it gets. Shaq’s other sons, Myles and Shaqir, are hardly mentioned.
It would likely help these types of blatant forms of branded entertainment to have a bit more going on in terms of story and stakes. Shaq and A.I.’s efforts to revitalize their diminished shoe brand are notable, andPower Movesitself is so obviously one of those strategies. When the dialogue starts to sound like marketing copy, you start to wonder who exactly this show is trying to appeal to between the viewer and the customer.
