Champion Creed
Chapter 989: 322: Anyway, this is not the last time LeBron treats his own words like nonsense (asking for monthly tickets!)_2

Chapter 989: 322: Anyway, this is not the last time LeBron treats his own words like nonsense (asking for monthly tickets!)_2

At Adidas’s basketball training camp, he wore Roger’s shoes; at Nike’s event, he wore Adidas; at Reebok’s training camp, he wore Nike instead.

He’s sending a message to all the major brands: “You all have a chance, I’m not tied to any brand yet.”

This approach is even smarter than Roger’s. Roger only sought out Anne Hathaway after breaking up with Eva Green, and only took Scarlett Johansson’s hand after clearing boundaries with Anne Hathaway. You could say Roger’s romantic experiences have been slightly abundant, but Roger never had them all at once.

Meanwhile, LeBron James flirted with all three major sneaker brands simultaneously, receiving adoration from each one at the same time.

This is the supreme enjoyment only an emperor would understand.

The fact proved this tactic worked; all the major sneaker brands have been fighting to the death for him, with contract amounts nearly reaching one hundred million US Dollars.

The person in charge at Adidas, Sonny Vaccaro, who once led Nike to sign Michael Jordan, hinted they would sign James to a 10-year, 100 million USD contract. He understands that the impact of this signing is comparable to the Nike-Jordan and Reebok-Roger deals.

Nike is also willing to offer 10 years and 100 million.

Reebok went further by adding a 10 million signing bonus on the basis of the 10-year, 100 million offer, provided that James would no longer meet with Nike and Adidas representatives.

This is an astronomical figure, considering James is just a high school student, and the already famous Kobe Bryant’s market value in the sneaker scene this year is only 40 million, which is less than half of LeBron James’s.

Roger can understand Reebok’s move; although they already have him as their most profitable star player, there’s no such thing as having too many resources.

Even in the worst-case scenario, even if Reebok signs James and doesn’t focus on developing his commercial value, it’s still better than giving him to Nike and Adidas.

But James turned down the 10 million check. It’s hard to imagine a decision like this made by an 18-year-old poor kid, as he wasn’t blinded by the immediate benefits.

Of course, this doesn’t mean he rejected Reebok; he just wanted to continue talking with both Adidas and Nike.

During the meeting with Adidas, LeBron James was completely shocked.

Because Adidas inexplicably lowered their offer temporarily, even Sonny Vaccaro didn’t know what had happened; he only felt that what was in the minds of Adidas’s top executives was similar to what sharks love to eat.

Adidas’s shortsightedness completely blew their chance with this super talent, leaving only Nike and Reebok in competition.

Roger had already agreed to meet with James on behalf of Reebok, even canceling his date with Scarlett Johansson for it.

Of course, he couldn’t guarantee success in recruiting.

Moreover, Roger had his doubts: “What if he signs with Nike before he meets us? Am I just wasting time waiting for him?”

“No, he told us that even if he signs with Nike, he will still meet with you out of respect, ensuring not to waste your time.”

“Alright then, he’s truly a lucky 18-year-old high schooler.”

Before that, James first met with Michael Jordan, a minority stakeholder of the Cavaliers.

Jordan directly invited James to his house, showing an incredibly close relationship between them.

In fact, James does trust Jordan; at Jordan’s house, this super talent from Akron felt more relaxed, which was the result of Jordan’s meticulous cultivation of their relationship over the past two years.

After sitting together in the yard, Jordan clipped a cigar and handed it to LeBron James.

James hesitated for a moment, but Jordan showed a kindly smile: “LeBron, you can’t drink alcohol at 18, but you can purchase and enjoy tobacco products, which fully comply with Ohio’s laws. Moreover, cigars don’t pass through the lungs like cigarettes do, so they won’t affect your body. So, there’s nothing for you to worry about.”

This convinced James to take the cigar, and Jordan personally lit it for him.

“Have you thought about the sneaker endorsement?” Michael Jordan squinted and took a puff of the cigar before asking, resembling a father questioning his son.

“Not yet, it’s hard to choose between Nike and Reebok. Reebok arranged for Roger to meet with me, which shows they value me highly, at least they won’t chicken out like Adidas.”

Hearing Roger’s name, Michael Jordan’s face showed an unmistakable expression of disdain.

After all these years, does he still hate Roger?

The animosity never diminished!

“LeBron, would you like to hear my advice?”

“Of course!”

“You know, I have a deep relationship with Nike, but at this moment, I’m not talking to you from Nike’s position, but from a friend’s perspective.

I know Reebok isn’t bad; they’ve offered a substantial amount and arranged for Roger to meet you, which seems good.

But my career experience tells me a smart person should make a lifelong agreement; you can’t only consider the first paycheck, you need to weigh all benefits.

At Reebok, Roger is the ceiling; he’s the focus of all Reebok’s resources. What does this mean? Reebok simply won’t prioritize you.

Signing with them, you may get an enormous paycheck, but your value won’t be fully realized. Because people will always say, you’re just Roger’s little brother.

Is this what you want, LeBron? Are you willing to pick up scraps to satisfy your hunger like everyone else in Roger’s era?