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Well before LeBron James started his dominance on the court, the future Hall of Famer signed the richest rookie shoe deal in NBA history before he ever played in a game.
James signed a seven-year, $90 million contract with Nike on May 22, 2003. The deal was actually worth less than the $115 million that Reebok had offered him. Of course, James ultimately went with Nike due to its longevity in the marketplace.
The deal with Nike, even worth less than what Reebok had offered, proved to be the highest-paying endorsement contract in NBA history for a rookie. Perhaps most impressive for James is he inked the deal before playing in an NBA game.
18 years old with a $90 Million dollar Nike deal.
May 22nd is a record-setting day — when @KingJames signed the richest rookie shoe deal in league history in 2003, before he ever played in a NBA game. pic.twitter.com/DlOcSTn4ac
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) May 22, 2020
By having the richest contract for a rookie, James also had the largest annual salary worth roughly just over $12 million. However, that record was recently broken after Zion Williamson signed a five-year, $75 million contract with Jordan Brand, which will pay him $15 million annually.
For James, taking less money with Nike ultimately proved to be the right move. James has since signed a lifetime contract with the Swoosh, which is reportedly worth up to $1 billion. He has proven to be worth every penny as his signature shoe is among the most popular in the world today.
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