“$30 million today actually means nothing” – Maverick Carter reveals reason behind LeBron James picking Nike deal
When LeBron James was just 18 years old, Nike viewed him as the future of basketball. It was a big bet for a player who had yet to step for on an NBA court, however, it paid off, with James' signature line being one of Nike's most successful.
Back in 2015, James made history by signing a lifetime deal with Nike, becoming just the second player to have a deal of that nature after Michael Jordan. During a recent podcast appearance, LeBron James' longtime friend and business partner Maverick Carter opened up on negotiations between the parties.
As he revealed, Adidas & Reebok offered LeBron James contracts worth millions more than Nike. What swayed the young standout was a pitch that resulted in James seeing himself as a businessman rather than just an athlete. He spoke on the Kurupt Sports podcast, saying:
"The folks at Nike said listen, it's a very simple question that I'm going to ask you. The question is, 'How good do you think you're going to be? Will you be a really good player? Will you be like an All-Star level player? Or do you think you have a chance to be like the greatest or one of the greatest to ever play?'
"And LeBron goes, 'why does that matter?' ... So he goes, 'well, it's very simple. Because if you believe you're going to be like one of the greatest to ever play or a great then 30 million today actually means nothing because we are going to help you build a business. That 30 million would be like peanuts to you."
LeBron James makes history in 2015 with Nike lifetime contract
After the two sides embarked on their journey together, LeBron James' line quickly became one of the best-selling in the world. With 12 years of success under their belts, Nike offered James a historic lifetime deal.
At the time, Nike released a statement regarding the deal, speaking to the value James brings to their business.
"We can confirm that we have agreed to a lifetime relationship with LeBron that provides significant value to our business, brand and shareholders. We have already built a strong LeBron business over the past 12 years, and we see the potential for this to continue to grow throughout his playing career and beyond."
At the time, James weighed in on the situation, expressing his gratitude to Nike and Phil Knight for believing in him when he was just a teenager.
"I'm very humble, man. It's been an unbelievable time for myself and my family. And I'm just grateful that Nike and Phil Knight and everyone over there just believed in a skinny-old, skinny 18-year-old kid from Akron, Ohio. And I'm happy to be a part of such a great company."