The top 120 high school basketball players in the United States were invited to showcase their skills at the 2014 Reebok Classic Breakout Camp at Philadelphia University in Philadelphia, PA on July 8^th – 11^th.

On opening day of the camp, Reebok hosted a special “Reebok Classic Rap” roundtable discussion on one of the basketball courts.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Sway Calloway and featured an exclusive panel including NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal, Shawn Kemp and Dominique Wilkins along with current players Isaiah Thomas and Gerald Green.  Rounding out the group were friends of the Reebok brand including Jadakiss, DJ Drama, and Lil Duval.

The group discusses their personal challenges and triumphs along with offering inspiration and motivation to the group of players.

The Reebok Classic Breakout tipped off at Philadelphia University yesterday on Wednesday, July 10th as over one hundred of the best high school basketball athletes were given the opportunity to play in front of hundreds of Division I college coaches during the NCAA live period.

The Reebok Classic Breakout is unique in that it is the only live period camp that gives any player the opportunity to earn an invitation purely through his performance at the eleven Reebok Classic Open Runs that took place across the country throughout the spring.  These players now get the chance to let their game make their name as they compete against some of the more established players that are already ranked in the top 100 and are future All-Americans.

This year Reebok hosted a special Classic Rap roundtable on one of the basketball courts.  On hand were Sway Calloway (from MTV and “Sway in the Morning” fame) who moderated an exclusive panel featuring NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal (in the Shaq Attaq IV), Shawn Kemp (in the Kamikaze II Low), and Dominique Wilkins (in the Twilight Zone Pump), along with current players Isaiah Thomas (in the Kamikaze II Low) and Gerald Green (in the Blast). Rounding out the group were friends of the Reebok brand including Jadakiss (in the Question Mid), DJ Drama (in the Blast) and Lil Duval (in the GL 6000).

In front of a large crowd, the group discussed the importance of having events like the Reebok Breakout Camp to help nurture and support the next generation of basketball players and how essential it is to have drive, commitment and resolve to persevere in their passion for the game.  The NBA legends and current players also recounted their personal histories and challenges coming up in the industry and offered tips and guidance to the high school athletes on site.

Reebok also took the opportunity to showcase the Shaq Attaq IV model seen on the feet of Shaq and Sway at the event.  Originally released in 1994, the Shaq Attaq IV was seen on the feet of dominant big man Shaquille O’Neal during the 1994-1995 season in which he won a scoring title, and appeared in the All-Star Game in Phoenix as well as NBA Finals against Houston. A game changer on the court, the Shaq Attaq IV also made history as the first basketball shoe to ever feature Insta Pump technology.

Twenty years after its initial release, limited pairs of the black/white/blue Shaq Attaq IV are set to hit shelves on Friday, July 25th at key retailers Jimmy Jazz, Shiekh, Villa, Shoe City and Eblens for $140

There are many kicks out there, but the Reebok Kamikaze II will always stand out from the crowd. Reebok teamed up with Shawn Kemp to create his signature sneaker. If you are old enough to remember Kemp’s playing days in the NBA you know how he took it strong to the hoop. Many opponents got “posterized” when Kemp would slam home a dish from his teammate Gary Payton.

Reebok first came out with the Kamikaze II in the mid-1990s. Since last year Reebok has bringing back these killer kicks to sneakerheads looking to pick up a pair. This coloryway pays respect to Kemp’s initial declaration of committing to the University of Kentucky. The sneaker has the Wildcat’s colors blue and white. Reebok named this edition the “Letter of Intent.”

The one time McDonald’s All-American decided to take his talents to Lexington and wanted to make a name for himself in one of the all-time best college’s for hoops. Unfortunately there were issues with his school records that redirected Kemp to Trinity Valley Community College.

Kemp felt that he was ready for the pro level just after one semester and entered his name into the NBA draft. After that we all know what happened when he got into the league. Kemp was rocking the Kamikaze II during the 1995-96 season. Some of his fans will say that was his best year ever in the NBA.  He averaged a double-double that season. With all that success Shawn played in the NBA All-Star Game and along with Gary Payton led the Seattle Supersonics to their first NBA Finals appearance.

Kemp was a big fan of the Kamikaze II’s and it showed with his production on the court. His sneaker had the Hexalite cushioning that gave the sneaker a lightweight feeling to it. Plus it provided him with impact resistance to help make for a successful landing every time he came back down from playing above the rim.

Just like back in the 90’s these sneakers feature the Kamikaze zig-zag, but in the Kentucky themed colors of royal and white. Upon closer inspection of the sneaker you can see the inlaid brick pattern on the blue suede. The “Letter of Intent” Kamikaze II’s are available at Reebok.com as well as places like Finishline and Eastbay.