- LeBron James was a sought-after prospect by NBA teams and shoe companies
- Rebook offered more money to LeBron, but King James chose Nike
- LeBron signed a lifetime deal with Nike in 2015
LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players of all time and is known for his incredible talent on the court. However, what many people don’t know is that his decision to sign with Nike was just as game-changing as his skills on the court.
LeBron James’ decision to sign with Nike has had a lasting impact in the sneaker world. In this article, we’ll explore how LeBron was swayed to sign with Nike, thanks to the shoe company having nine pairs of shoes already built for him.
LeBron Joins The Nike Family
LeBron James was the most sought-after rookie, maybe of all time. When he was still playing ball at St. Vincent-St. Mary, not only were NBA teams after his talent but so were shoe companies.
All the top shoe brands were bidding for LeBron, but unlike getting drafted by a team, LeBron had the power to choose which brand to sign with. The three powerhouse shoe brands that made bids for LeBron were Adidas, Reebok, and Nike.
Only one could land LeBron, so which shoe brand offered the high school phenom the most money? Reebok offered LeBron the biggest contract, which was a $110 million contract over 10 years.
LeBron expected to get a contract of around $100 million over 10 years from Adidas, which was the company that sponsored his high school basketball team. Adidas did not offer this to LeBron, in fact, they only offered $70 million over 10 years.
As for Nike, they did not offer as much as Adidas, but they did offer LeBron $87 million over seven years. LeBron ultimately chose Nike, of course, but the question is, why did LeBron take Nike’s offer, which was less than Reebok’s?
It’s simple: Nike came prepared. Reebok and Adidas had drawings of what LeBron’s shoes would look like. Nike, on the other hand, had nine pairs of “LeBron” shoes already created and presented them to LeBron in their meeting.
This was a game changer, having a shoe model already made up gave LeBron a real feel for what partnering up with Nike looked like. Also, Nike had LeBron merchandise ready to view, like basketballs, bags, sunglasses, bathrobes, towels, and socks.
They even had LeBron’s favorite cereal, Fruity Pebbles, ready to eat if LeBron got hungry. But ultimately, it was the shoe model Nike showcased to LeBron, which was called the Zoom Generation I.
This shoe was made after LeBron’s prize Hummer at the time, so that definitely helped sway LeBron’s decision in Nike’s favor. Yes, LeBron would sign with Nike in 2003, and in 2015, he signed a lifetime deal with the company.
It’s estimated that LeBron will make $1 billion from his lifetime deal with Nine. This certainly was the right choice by LeBron, and he’s shown his love for the shoe company by once wearing a gold Nike swoosh on his tooth. Yes, the love is real for King James.
It was also the right choice by Nike to make a shoe for LeBron and give him nine pairs. Together, the two have created a product everyone wants, and it started by giving LeBron a Hummer-themed shoe.
Not bad by Nike. Not bad at all, especially by adding in the Fruity Pebbles. Maybe that’s the real reason why King James signed with Nike. Maybe, just maybe.
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