It's official. Thanks to Nike, LeBron James(notes) is a rich man.
Of course he was already super rich, so now he's even more super rich. Courtesy of Nike, that is. You get it.
Wednesday, as rumored last week, LeBron signed his new deal with Nike in some of the least surprising news of all time.
"LeBron James is one of the world's best basketball players and a global sports icon that has transcended generations and cultures," Nike spokesman Kejuan Wilkins said. "Nike's relationship with LeBron has created innovative basketball products and captivating campaigns. We're proud to continue our partnership with him for years to come."
That had to have been a pretty short meeting for Nike executives:
"Let's re-sign LeBron."
"OK. Lunch time. You want Jimmy Johns?"
While terms of the deal haven't yet been disclosed, Darren Rovell reports that the deal is for longer than the seven year, $93 million contract he signed out of high school. Sure beats mowing yards.
Additionally, this new contract carries with it some hope for Clevelanders that LeBron won't ply his trade elsewhere, just because of endorsement money. As Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that "according to multiple sources, the new deal does not have any bonuses for James to play in a larger market such as New York, Chicago or Los Angeles."
That's good news if you're a Cavs fan, and even better news if you're LeBron James because it means you're getting paid no matter where you play. All you have to worry about is chasing a championship. Oh, and finding someone capable of managing millions upon millions of dollars. That's probably important, too.
