"Okay he really wants me; he wants me to be a part of the brand" - Bradley Beal admits he was overwhelmed by Michael Jordan's pitch to make him re-sign with Jordan line
Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards has said that he was overwhelmed by Michael Jordan's pitch to him to re-sign with the Jordan Line.
Beal became part of the Jordan Brand last season, and has now signed an extension to remain with the Jumpman family. It turned out to be an easy decision for Beal, who was pleasantly surprised by Jordan's insistence on him signing a new deal.
In an appearance on Posted Up with Chris Haynes, Beal revealed about signing a new contract with Jordan Brand. He said that he feels lucky to be a part of the Jumpman family, as not many athletes get the chance to join a huge brand like Air Jordan.
The 28-year-old is also excited about Jordan's plans for him, noting that he feels right at home. The negotiations for the extension went smoothly, as Michael Jordan himself wanted Beal to stay with his brand.
"It was funny because during negotiations, at one point he was like "Just get it done"...so that part of it made me like "Okay, he really wants me; he wants me to be a part of the brand"...it was nothing like he said to me," Beal said.
"But to know he said that on the outside looking in. That was cool; that was comforting to know that a brand wants yo;, a brand wants to utilize you; they want to be able to put you out there and really establish your brand, and that's what I'm trying to do," Beal added.
Details of Bradley Beal's contract with the brand remain undisclosed, but he earned roughly $2 million from endorsements last season.
According to Nick DePaula of ESPN, Beal signed a multi-year contract for footwear and apparel endorsements of the Jordan Brand. The deal comes with a new logo for the Wizards star.
A look at Bradley Beal's new logo 👀
The Washington Wizards star has signed a new multi-year footwear and apparel endorsement deal extension with Jordan Brand.
(h/t @NickDePaula) https://t.co/iVzxL62wTb
In addition to his personal endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand, Beal is also on the verge of signing a new deal with the Wizards. The team offered Beal a four-year, $181.5 million extension in the offseason.
However, Beal turned that down, as he's eligible to sign a veteran max deal in the offseason worth around $235 million for five years. His current deal allows him to enter free agency after the 2022-23 NBA season.
Bradley Beal is not the only top NBA star signed by Jordan Brand
Jordan Brand has been one of the biggest performers for Nike in the last few years. Its popularity gave the Jumpman family the opportunity to sign new members like Bradley Beal and Caris LeVert last season. Besides the two young players, Jordan Brand has several big-name superstars on their roster as well.
They include Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. Veteran stars such as Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns, and Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony of the LA Lakers have been mainstays of the Jordan Brand for years.
Zion enters rare air with his first signature shoe 🌟 @brkicks
He’s now only the fourth active Jordan Brand athlete with this honor https://t.co/wtRVIaYW6q
The Jumpman family has added WNBA players such as Kia Nurse, Dearica Hamby and Aerial Powers. Jordan Brand also has a presence in other sports like baseball, football and soccer.
They have sponsored teams such as the Michigan Wolverines Football Team, Paris Saint Germain, and of course, the Charlotte Hornets owned by Michael Jordan. Other athletes who are part of the Jordan Brand include Mookie Betts and Manny Machado from baseball, and Jamal Adams and Stefon Diggs from football.