When Reebok signed O'Neal fresh out of LSU in 1992, their design team faced a structural dilemma. Making an aesthetically pleasing sneaker is easy; making a high-top sneaker capable of holding together under a 300-plus-pound center executing aggressive drop-steps is entirely different. The signature Reebok Shaq Attaq, released in 1992, incorporated cutting-edge technology precisely to prevent torsional collapse.
Standard basketball midsoles made of single-density EVA foam would compress permanently after two quarters under O'Neal's weight. Reebok countered this by embedding a rigid carbon-fiber shank plate, dubbed the Graphlite, into the arch. This composite material kept the shoe lightweight while preventing the midfoot from snapping or twisting when O'Neal pushed off the floor.
Inside the shoe, generic insoles were out of the question. O'Neal required medical-grade orthotic basketball insoles engineered with high-density polyurethane and dual-stage thermoplastic cups. These custom orthotics distributed pressure evenly across the plantar fascia, mitigating the bone spurs, turf toe, and plantar fasciitis that historically curtailed the careers of physical big men. The sheer surface area of a size 22 outsole also created unusual drag, forcing designers to carve aggressive herringbone rubber patterns across the base to deliver reliable traction without adding dead weight.
