It’s been 16 years since Michael Jordan played his last professional basketball game, but he still makes more money than every current NBA player when it comes to sneaker earnings—and the rankings aren’t even close: Jordan made $130 million from his Nike in 2019, Forbes reports. Here’s the story behind why Michael Jordan didn’t actually want to sign with Nike at first.
Michael Jordan ‘s sneaker earnings are four times that of second-place LeBron James, who made $32 million from his sneaker deal. That’s also a lot more than third-place Kevin Durant, who made $26 million in 2019. It’s hard to imagine Jordan with anything other than Nike these days, but he didn’t always want to wear the now-iconic Swoosh. In 1984, the year he was drafted third overall by the Chicago Bulls, Jordan set his sights on Adidas.
While Jordan preferred Adidas, his agent, David Falk, wanted him to go with Nike. “Adidas really wasn’t interested in Jordan at the time,” said Falk, who represented Jordan from 1984 to 2003. “We couldn’t do it at the time, so I wanted Michael to go with Nike because they were an up-and-coming brand.”
Jordan, then 21, was stubborn. “I couldn’t even get him on a plane to go see the Nike campus,” Falk recalls. “So I called his parents.” As Jordan recalls, his mother pushed him to plan, and Nike eventually offered him a deal that a rookie like MJ couldn’t refuse. “Back then, the best guys were probably getting $100,000 or so,” Nike CEO Howard White says in the documentary. “He was getting $250,000. It was like, What are you going to pay him? A young rookie who hasn’t done anything yet? You have to erase that from your memory.”
As part of the deal, Jordan also got his own shoe line: Air Jordan. It didn’t take long for the brand to take off. “Nike’s expectation when we signed was that by the end of the fourth year, they were hoping to sell $3 million worth of Air Jordans and make a profit, but surprisingly, in the first year, we made $126 million,” Falk says.
News
Former LeBron James teammate is amazed James is still playing so well
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is 39 years of age and about to enter his 22nd NBA season. But judging by his level of play, one may not be able to tell if they don’t know any better….
When Michael Jordan ended an endorsement deal for this reason
MJ refused to extort money from a brand he no longer used. Michael Jordan’s stance on endorsing products was admirable from the start. Having attained unprecedented fame after his Air Jordan brand became a cultural hit, Mike understood the responsibility…
Terrence Ross is speaking the fact: “I don’t understand how one can put Michael Jordan ahead of LeBron James”
The opinion battle about the NBA’s GOAT continues with “experts” giving their unquestionable opinions. The dialectical battle for the GOAT of the NBA continues almost always with LeBron James and Michael Jordan as protagonists. It’s rare to see current players…
Kevin Harvick Discloses Being Shocked By Michael Jordan’s Advice That Changed His Mind
Michael Jordan often received flak for not attending races of his team, 23XI Racing. Although not every team owner is present at the racetrack on every race day, somehow the bar is set high for Jordan. And while a few…
LeBron James’ Wife Savannah James Makes Candid Admission
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James’ wife was not a fan of his free agency decision LeBron James stunned the basketball world in 2014 when he announced he was leaving the Miami Heat, where he won two championships, to return…
Is LeBron James Nearing the End of His NBA Career? King’s Farewell Will Make Thousands of Fans Regret
LeBron James, now in his 22nd NBA season, remains on a mission to achieve one last triumph with the Los Angeles Lakers. As he approaches his 40th birthday on December 30th, James shows no signs of slowing down. His consistent…
End of content
No more pages to load