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Before his career in the NBA began, LeBron James had plenty of sponsors lining up in front of him. One of those was Reebok, who came forward with an impressive offer.
Reebok did everything in its power to convince LeBron to sign with the company. That included using fellow friend and Reebok star athlete Allen Iverson in recruiting pitches.
On an episode of the "Complex Sneakers Podcast", Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky explained how close the company was to signing LeBron James. Krinsky revealed that Reebok had offered James $90 million with an additional "live check" for $10 million.
"Now we've been there all day and so we're sitting around this table, and Paul offers him, I believe it was 90 million and then Paul stands up and he's got this tweed blazer on and he walks around the table behind LeBron.
"He pulls out a check and he goes, 'This is a live check not part of the contract. This is a live check for $10 million.' And you know, so he hasn't played yet in the league and he goes, 'If you sign with us tonight you can take this check back to Akron Trust in the morning and deposit it...'
According to Krinsky, James was unfazed by the offer.
"I see LeBron stoic. He wasn't impressed. ... But I've only had two athletes in my life that I have worked with that I had this feeling when I saw them the first time. He knew everything that was coming to him and he was ready for it. It was just this confidence.
"It wasn't arrogance or he was super polite and respectful. You just look at his eye and I'm like this kid is ready for everything and he's not being fazed by what's in front of him."
James went on to sign a deal with Nike and has remained with the company throughout his career.
LeBron James looks to continue legacy with LA Lakers
It's always fascinating to hear some of the background stories in the professional sports industry, especially when it comes to superstars like LeBron James.
After blossoming into one of the top high school prospects, there was plenty of buzz surrounding James ahead of his arrival in the NBA and he has certainly lived up to expectations.
James has won four titles so far and is closing in on the all-time scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
LeBron's averaging 24.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game this season.
