It is a scene that might seem out of an awake dream. On April 1, Tyrese Haliburton walked the prosecution against the Sacramento Kings with a pair of all-pro nitro nitro. A pair imagined by Réda Ouahbi, alias Rookicks, a young creator from the Lille metropolis. This enthusiast of basketball equipment, who has a reference amateur creator in France, returns to this striking moment and his extraordinary career.
A pair, an NBA player and an unforgettable moment
“It is rewarding. The NBA is the league that makes us dream, ”says Roookicks about the appearance of his pair on American prosecution. During the NBA Paris Game last January, he presented his creation in Tyrese Haliburton (1.96 m, 25 years old) in football locker in the Champs-Élysées. The latter then slips him: “I want to be the first to wear these shoes in the NBA. »» Promise held facing the Kings.
But Rookicks had not seen anything coming: “The next morning, when I got up, I received a lot of messages. I saw the impact behind, because overall, there are a lot of basketball enthusiasts who follow me, but it remains a niche. »»
From YouTube to NBA stars
Whoever dreamed of being a content creator in 2017 was able to impose his expertise. By testing one pair per day for six months in 2021, he found his editorial line and stands out as “One of the only ones to democratize and cover the news of basketball shoes in France”.
His meetings with NBA stars are multiplying: Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell … but the one who marked him the most remains Lamelo Ball. “Finally, it’s just a 21-year-old, Chill, Cool, really the antipodes of what one might think of a young star player in the United States”, he says.
A two -year collaboration with Puma
Why did you choose the All-Pro Nitro for its first collaboration? “I admit that if I had the opportunity to collaborate on a pair of lamelo, I would have done it”, he recognizes. But the constraints were less on this model, which allowed him to « poser [son] storytelling dessus. »
With Puma, the relationship has been forged since the brand’s return to the basketball market in 2020-2021. Rookicks insists on one thing: “In all the contracts I sign, there is freedom of speech and transparency. »» Even if it means criticizing a model, like the MB.04 of Lamelo Ball: “Less efficient than previous”, According to him.
Equipment, nerve of war in the world of basketball
Why do brands trust him? Because he is talking about, simply produces. “The product is the heart of the cyclone for equipment manufacturers”, he explains. His expertise is now recognized, which leads him to work with NBA Europe, Adidas, Jordan or the Euroleague. And above all, to be asked to interview the stars rather than to simply rub shoulders with them.
“Basically, I make reviews. But when an NBA athlete comes to Paris, we’re going to call you because you’re talking about equipment all year round. »»
A passion born on the playgrounds of Armentières
His vocation, he found it in his daily life as an amateur basketball player. “I was playing 6-7 days a week. I had the rhythm of life of a tester ”, he recalls. Not the means to buy everything, but a passion that largely replaces resources. “I said to myself: how to have a job that doesn’t give me the impression of working?” »»
Baker at 370,000 Tiktok subscribers
After studying abroad and a job at Boulanger, he juggled shoe tests at the breakfast and shooting after work. “It was complicated, and fortunately I am passionate, because otherwise, I would have dropped the case for a while. »»
Today, its content inspires in France as abroad. And above all, he never forgets his community: “Without them, I am not there. »» Evidenced his Rookicks Tourwho saw him offer 100 pairs to his subscribers.
The word of the end: a story of passion
If Roookicks has become a reference, it is because he followed what his passion dictated to him. He concludes: “Everyone can find their vocation in basketball. Me, it was to talk about the equipment. »»
