Michael Jordan. LeBron James.
And, now, Kevin Durant.
Those are the NBA players with lifetime deals with Nike after the Phoenix Suns star and the apparel company announced they agreed to a lifetime contract Friday, via Boardroom. Durant has been with the company since he was a rookie in 2007.
He tweeted that it is “a true honor to be in the game for life with Nike.”
Nike and Durant have released 15 signature shoes together, and he recently revealed on his Instagram page there is a 16th in the works.
Yet the partnership has extended beyond just apparel, as Nike has collaborated with the Durant Family Foundation and his EYBL program, Team Durant, from a philanthropic standpoint to improve grassroots basketball with court refurbishments and more community-focused projects.
That will continue with the lifetime deal.
“As one of the best basketball players in the world, Kevin Durant has been an important part of the Nike family for the past 16 years,” Nike EVP of global sports marketing John Slusher said. “We look forward to continuing to serve the next generation of athletes together.”
Durant joins arguably the greatest two players in NBA history in Jordan and James in an exclusive list of basketball royalty with such contracts.
Jordan hasn’t played since the 2002-03 season, but his Jordan Brand partnership remains as strong as ever. Front Office Sports noted Nike’s Jordan Brand took in $5.1 billion in the fiscal year 2022 alone, and His Airness’ deal with the company means he gets five percent of the profits generated.
Durant and James, like Jordan, will have the chance to continue earning with Nike for decades after their retirements with their deals.
On the court, Durant’s Suns advanced past the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs and will start their second-round showdown with the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Source: bleacherreport.com
