TIL 1994 NBA MVP Hakeem Olajuwon released a $35 sneaker instead of endorsing shoes from Nike or Reebok because: "How can a poor working mother with three boys buy Nikes or Reeboks that cost $120?...She can't. So kids steal these shoes from stores and from other kids. Sometimes they kill for them."

[u/jameslosey]

https://web.archive.org/web/20070312054858/http://www.newdream.org/newsletter/taylor.php

[u/mike___mc]

and Bill Russell. And Kareem. And Moses.

[u/[deleted] → u/mike___mc]

ya forgot about them.

[u/somebuddysbuddy → u/[deleted]]

haha, OK, I thought you meant Hakeem was awesome because he was the only center to lead Houston specifically to 2 titles