JCPenney recently facilitated the surprise of a lifetime when Dallas student athlete Kylon Owens stopped by our brand-defining store in Hurst, Texas, for a Big & Tall styling session in mid-January. Kylon excels as a community-minded student and senior basketball player at South Oak Cliff High School, but often has difficulty finding clothes that fit his 6’10” frame.
Kylon believed he was invited to the store as an acknowledgement of his hard work on and off the court, but he was in for a legendary surprise when JCPenney CEO Jill Soltau revealed his stylist for the day: Shaquille O’Neal, 15-time All-Star and JCPenney Big & Tall Style Ambassador.
After the surprise introduction, the tall pair went to work finding the perfect suit for Kylon to wear at events like prom or signing day. During the fitting, Shaq dispensed valuable advice for Kylon, including that he should continue listening to his parents and working hard in school and basketball.
Kylon has played on the varsity team all four years of high school while earning dual credit at a local college along the way. He will be among the first students from his school to graduate with both a diploma and an associate degree. He also helps his parents run Youth Conversion, a nonprofit offering after-school programs, mentorships, and youth employment training.
