Michael Jordan may be considered the most iconic player in NBA history today, but his partnership with Nike – which gave birth to the legendary Air Jordan line – wasn’t an easy decision for him.
He actually preferred Adidas, but the company couldn’t create a signature shoe for him. That’s when his agent, David Falk, arranged a meeting with Nike. However, Jordan had no intention of attending.
The turning point came when Falk called his parents and his mother convinced him to go. “My mother told me to go and listen to them,” Jordan declared in “The Last Dance.” “You may not like it, but you’re going to go listen… She put me on the plane and made me go listen.”
At the meeting, Nike presented an offer that would change his life. His father even pointed out that it would be wrong to reject it. His mother negotiated for her son to acquire equity, securing him a percentage from every pair sold.
The company estimated that in four years it would sell Air Jordans worth $3 million. In just the first year, sales skyrocketed to $126 million.
“My game was my biggest advertisement,” Jordan said. “What I did on the court, my dedication, was what led to everything else.”
Today, his net worth amounts to approximately $3.8 billion. Although his NBA salary totaled $90 million, his partnerships with Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade have earned him nearly $2.4 billion.
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Michael Jordan’s career
Averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, Jordan won five MVP awards, six championships, six Finals MVP awards, three steals titles, and 10 scoring titles.
A Hall of Fame member, he remains first in points per game in NBA history, fourth in steals, and second in player efficiency rating. He still holds the record for most points (63) in a playoff game.
Under his leadership, the Chicago Bulls won six championships, remaining undefeated (6-0) in Finals and achieving the three-peat twice.
