25^th Anniversary brings back original limited-run suede-toe design from ’96; Magazine features exclusive content, insights and interviews with Allen Iverson, Eric Emanuel, Todd Krinsky, Quil Lemons, Scott Hewett, The Reebok Archive, and more.

(BOSTON) August 11, 2020 – Today, Reebok celebrates the 25^th Anniversary of Question Mid, Allen Iverson’s first signature shoe, with a timely reissue of the sneaker’s OG limited-run suede-toe execution from 1996. In honor of the anniversary, Reebok has issued Beyond Question(details below), a limited-edition magazine profiling the life and legacy of Allen Iverson, the immortal Question Mid, and A.I.’s cultural impact for a new generation. The Question Mid OG Red Toe “Insight” ($140) is available globally beginning August 21 at Reebok.com and across the Foot Locker family of brands including Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Footaction, Champs Sports, and Eastbay.com.

In the early ‘90s, while sportswear companies across the industry pondered the aura of a certain 6-foot sophomore guard, Reebok asked itself “what if?”. The Question Mid would arrive in 1996 at the heart of a basketball footwear revolution, but the brand’s pitch to Allen Iverson was about much more than a basketball sneaker – it was about their commitment to A.I., his authentic self, unique style of play and electric personality.

“It was a dream come true,” recalls Iverson in the pages of Beyond Question. “It was close to the same feeling of when you get drafted. Only a certain amount of people have their own signature shoe; that really means you’re special. And for it to happen to me, it was just a beautiful thing.”

The original suede-toe design gave the shoe a sophisticated look, but the material bled so badly that after quickly selling through the initial 5,000-pair release, and before bringing the shoe to the mass market, Reebok made the switch to the pearlized leather-toe iteration that fans today are so fond of.

“The color pops on the toe and heel worked so well for a player like A.I., who sped up and down the court,” said Todd Krinsky, Senior VP and GM of Product for Reebok who also spearheaded the brand’s push to sign Iverson in’96.

Today, 25 years later, on the heels of countless world-class achievements (including a 2016 Hall of Fame induction) and a lifetime of hard work, sacrifice, altering dress codes, and shifting cultural narratives, A.I.’s light shines bright for both longtime basketball fans and a new generation enjoying the infinite afterglow of sport culture’s greatest legacy. In that same time, the Question Mid has become one of the most beloved and established silhouettes in sneaker history and a flagship symbol of basketball heritage.

“Without A.I., there wouldn’t be a me. Period,” shares renowned streetwear designer Eric Emanuel in Beyond Question. “A.I. made sportswear a fashion item more than a fan item.”

Emanuel, who just recently launched his own tasteful iteration of the Question Mid (one of his favorite sneakers growing up) is the most recent on a laundry list of collaborators who continue to leverage the Question design and heritage as a canvas for creativity and storytelling to bridge the gap between sport history and contemporary culture.

For its 25^th Anniversary, the Question Mid OG Red Toe “Insight” pays homage to the extensive research and scouting conducted by Reebok in the early ‘90s to gather key insights that would inform the sneaker’s first design. The anniversary model stays true to its historic‘96 build, engineered to amplify A.I.’s explosive gameplay and disruptive style prowess, with an OG suede toe box from the sneaker’s first limited release, blue-framed Reebok Vector,  iconic Reebok Question logo at the heel, striking midsole design nodding Reebok’s historic Hexalite technology, an iced out translucent blue outsole, and the first-of-its-kind ghillie lacing system securing OG speckled laces.

In honor of his legacy and the occasion, Beyond Question  tells untold stories of Allen Iverson’s ascendancy, the arch of Question Mid, and A.I.’s impact beyond sport historically and for today’s rising youth. Features include key ‘players’ who were there from the start (e.g. high school coach and manager Gary Moore, Reebok basketball veteran Todd Krinsky, Question designer Scott Hewett, The Reebok Archive, and Iverson himself) as well as leaders carrying his legacy forward for a new generation (e.g. streetwear designer Eric Emanuel, photographer and activist Quil Lemons, advanced hair stylist Guingui, and professional ballers Montrezl Harrell and Josh Richardson).

To bring the magazine to life, Reebok tapped a collective of Gen Z journalists and creatives who led research and artistic design for the project, conducting dozens of interviews with folks from around the country, resulting in over 30 pages of exclusive material.

Beyond Question Chapter Overview:

• Bubba Chuck: Before the nationally televised games and practices—Newport News, VA, taught Allen Iverson how to survive.
• The Question OG Red Toe: A.I.’s first signature shoe, the original Reebok Question Mid— reissued as the Question OG Red Toe—was born before A.I. even set foot in the NBA.
• Dare to Be: As much swagger as A.I. brought to the basketball court, it was who he was off the court that propelled the intersection of basketball and culture.
• Generation AI: With his legacy in motion both on the court and off, A.I. continues to inspire a new generation in profound ways.

Fans can read Beyond Question in its entirety at Issuu.com and, now through August 21, Reebok will raffle off 75 limited-edition print copies of the magazine – a random selection of which will be signed by Allen Iverson himself – with proceeds benefitting BOKS, a physical activity program designed to help kids and underserved youth from around the country get active and establish a lifelong commitment to health and fitness. To enter the raffle, visit HERE.

Join Reebok in celebrating Allen Iverson’s legacy and the 25^th Anniversary of Question Mid OG Red Toe ($140), dropping August 21 at Reebok.com and across the Foot Locker family of brands including Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Footaction, Champs Sports, and Eastbay.com.

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