Nike LeBron James Shoes
Post by Alex Stone, Jun 26, 2011 at 3:39 am
The year 2003 marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one for both the world of professional basketball and Nike. Michael Jordan, one of the NBA’s finest, announced his final retirement from the sport. As a result, Nike went hunting for another professional athlete to sponsor knowing that it would not be an easy quest. Until this point, no other campaign, since the birth of the Air Jordan, has been able to compare to Nike’s success with Michael Jordan and what is now Jordan Brand. Nike started to wonder whether or not there was another athlete out there, a successor if you will, who could take the place of Michael Jordan. Not only was Jordan an outstanding ball player, he was also charismatic; bringing a certain air about him that helped him become a top market icon.
During that same year, Nike caught wind of a high school basketball player from Akron, Ohio. This young player, LeBron James, aka King James, seemed to have the speed, size, and talent to make it in the big league. More importantly, his extroverted personality was exactly what Nike was looking for. After being drafted first overall in June 2003, by the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James received a seven year, $90 million contract from Nike. He hadn’t even set foot on a basketball court yet, but had a sweet deal with one of the most prominent brands in the industry. Nike was willing to take a huge risk in signing not only an unproven player, but offering such a large contract as well. Back in 1984, Michael Jordan’s five year contract was for just $2.5 million.
Since the debut of the first LeBron signature shoe, the Air Zoom Generation, or known by some as the LeBron I (1), Nike has produced a new numbered series of LeBron James shoes representing each season he’s been in the league. Each new shoe has brought about unique aesthetic and design concepts, maintaining Nike’s high standards set forth during the Jordan days. In addition, Nike has also designed variations of the numbered signature series, including Zoom Soldier and Zoom LBJ Ambassador, adding to the list of shoes endorsed by the basketball star. LeBron has not let Nike down, filling the void left by Michael Jordan years ago.
In 2010, LeBron’s contract with Nike came to an end just as his free agency status opened up. LeBron made it clear that he was looking to play basketball elsewhere as he continued his pursuit for a championship ring. Nike decided to extend LeBron’s contract for an undisclosed amount of money and years, taking yet another risk. Perhaps a change in scenery for the consummate ball player will not only bring about a championship for the star but also a boost in sales for Nike. Over half a million pairs of the LeBron 8, the most recent in the signature series, were sold during the year. At the close of the 2010-2011 season, there was no ring for King James and the Miami Heat, but Nike LeBron continues on with fans still investing their money in the sneakers they have come to love.
If you are looking for updates on all of the current Nike LeBron James shoes, check out our Nike LeBron News.
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