You will have to be a pretty big Shaq fan or "sneakerhead" to get the most out of Netflix's basketball reality series . Blurring the line between entertainment and marketing, Power Moves stars NBA legend and sports analyst Shaquille O'Neal, who remains one of the most recognizable faces in professional basketball. Power Moves also features several appearances from NBA icon . Shaq and A.I. have plenty of history and both are significant figures in Reebok's vintage basketball shoes and apparel.

Fast-forward to 2025, and Shaq and A.I. are still heavily involved in Reebok's brand, with Shaq owning the second-most shares of the company, valued at $2.5 billion as of 2022. As the President of Reebok's Basketball division, for both men's and women's professional basketball. Angel Reese, a WBNA star with nearly five million Instagram followers, is currently the face of Reebok basketball, with developers in Power Moves revealing a signature shoe on the way.

There are countless moments in which Shaq, A.I., and to revitalize their basketball brand in the modern era. At times, the show feels like a real-life version of NBA 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 Moves would literally be one big commercial.

Netflix was wise to drop this new Shaq series on the heels of the final episode of Inside the NBA, a beloved basketball pre-game/halftime/post-game show that Shaq has starred in since 2011. That said, , such as Court of Gold and Starting 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.

Playing David to the collective Goliath of Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor, . 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 in Power Moves are 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 is last year. If these names don't light up your eyes or even ring a bell, then Power Moves may 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.

For better or worse, . 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.

Those expecting an emotional moment from this Netflix sports series to make internet headlines, like Kevin Durant's rare moment of vulnerability in Court of Gold, will come up empty-handed. Shaq's words for and 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, and itself 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.