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Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest NBA athlete of all-time. His storied career in the sport of basketball has left a lasting legacy both on and off the court, with many also noticing the lucrative endorsement deals he pulled in his prime.
Chief among them was his longtime partnership with Nike, whose gargantuan impact in the sports shoe industry is largely attributed to their initial deal with Jordan. Tim Thomas, the lottery pick, who was drafted 7th overall by the New Jersey Nets in 1997 recalled a fond memory of meeting the NBA legend Jordan. Tim was accompanied by the former Chicago Bulls' small forward and Hall of Famer, Scottie Pippen.
"One day he(Scottie Pippen) took me to MJ's (Michael Jordan) house early in the morning and the whole Bulls team was there and they were getting ready todo their workout."
Tim added:
"MJ stopped me at the door(and said) hey oh you got to take that off. So they basically stripped me down and put me in all NY gear yeah so when I ended up leaving MJ's house, the funny thing was all my Adidas gear was packed up in the bag sitting outside he didn't even leave the gear inside he sat the gear he had the gear sitting outside the house."
The Nike-Jordan deal that changed the game
When Michael Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he initially wanted to partner with Adidas. However, Adidas was unable to produce a shoe that would suit Jordan. On the other hand, Nike, a relatively small player in the market back then, saw an opportunity and was ready to offer Michael Jordan a deal that would revolutionize the sports shoe industry.
The turning point came when Jordan’s agent, David Falk, convinced him to at least hear what Nike had to say. Despite his initial reluctance, Michael Jordan agreed to meet with Nike, largely due to the insistence of his mother, Deloris. The meeting proved to be fruitful, and a deal was signed in 1984. This marked the birth of the Air Jordan sneakers, which would go on to become one of the most iconic and best-selling sports shoes of all time.
The impact of the Nike-Jordan deal was far-reaching. It not only catapulted Nike to the forefront of the athletic footwear market but also set a new standard for athlete endorsement deals. The partnership transformed Michael Jordan into a global marketing icon and established a blueprint for future collaborations between athletes and brands.
