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LeBron James said he turned down a big offer from Reebok
TL;DR
LeBron James revealed he turned down a $10 million offer from Reebok during his high school years. He ultimately chose Nike after considering pitches from multiple sneaker companies.
Key points
- LeBron James was highly sought after by sneaker companies in 2003
- Reebok offered him $10 million to secure an endorsement deal
- James ultimately chose Nike after considering multiple pitches
Mentioned in this story
LeBron JamesReebokNikeAdidas
LeBron James was obviously one of the most hyped, if not the most hyped, players in basketball history, dating back to his high school days in Akron, Ohio. Once it became clear he had a chance at NBA superstardom and that he was going to turn pro straight out of high school in 2003, there was a big competition among the sneaker company giants to sign him to an endorsement deal.
Nike won the bidding war just before James was taken with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. But Reebok and Adidas were in the mix before he went with Nike. During an appearance on the "New Heights" podcast hosted by Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, James admitted that Reebok offered him a very generous deal.
"I took on three pitches," James said. "I did an Adidas pitch, I did a Reebok pitch, I did a Nike pitch. The best pitch that I got, where I thought I'd end up, was actually Reebok at one point.
"... I was a high school senior. They gave me a check for $10 million if I promised not to go see anybody else.
"... My mom looked at me. She said, 'Son, trust your gut. If they're offering you this, who knows what the other companies may offer you. ... Do what you think is right.'
"... I said thank you, I will definitely like to continue our conversation, but I will be remiss if I did not take those other pitches from the other companies. I may have cried on the way home."
James also mentioned that back then, Reebok "had the NFL as well," and knowing that James loved football and was a star wide receiver in high school, it had a bunch of NFL jerseys out on display.
In the end, the initial deal he signed with Nike was for roughly $90 million. In late 2015, he reportedly signed a "lifetime" deal with the sneaker giant that is valued at over $1 billion. According to Forbes magazine, James became a billionaire in 2022, and his partnership with Nike is undoubtedly a big reason he achieved that financial milestone.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: LeBron James said he turned down a big offer from Reebok
Q&A
Why did LeBron James turn down Reebok's $10 million offer?
LeBron James turned down Reebok's offer to explore other potential deals, believing he might receive better offers from other companies.
What companies were competing to sign LeBron James in 2003?
Nike, Reebok, and Adidas were the main companies competing for LeBron James' endorsement deal in 2003.
What was included in Reebok's pitch to LeBron James?
Reebok's pitch included a $10 million check for LeBron James if he promised not to meet with other companies.
