It’s no secret that LeBron James is a “Nike Guy.” In 2003, even before he had stepped foot on an NBA court, the Kid from Akron pledged his allegiance to the Swoosh brand by inking a historic seven-year $87 million deal. Their relationship only got stronger with time, as LBJ now has a lifetime deal with Nike reportedly worth $1 billion. But there was a brief moment when LeBron seriously considered signing with Reebok instead!

The same year he inked his first Nike deal, LBJ also met with Reebok at their headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts. Eager to secure the teenage prodigy before the competitors, Reebok’s then-CEO Todd Krinsky straight up offered him a $10 million check. Obviously, LeBron, being just a high school kid, had never seen that kind of money before and was highly tempted to take it. “I was a high school senior, man. And they gave me a check for $10 million. I told him I needed a break… I can’t believe that, right?” James revealed during Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast earlier this year.

Of course, leaving $10 million on the table for the $87 million James eventually received from Nike seems like a no-brainer, right? It was not that simple at the time because Reebok’s initial offer was just the tip of the iceberg. Bron’s agent, Rich Paul, recently clarified everyone’s doubt on TheTylilShow Live, “That story is always told wrong, though. It wasn’t a $10 million deal. It was $10 million not to take another meeting. It was ‘You’re here. Let us give you $10 million not to take another meeting.”

Yes, the $10 million was just to keep LeBron from meeting Adidas, Nike, and other competitors. The actual offer was yet to come. Even LBJ confirmed it on the pod, “The guy slides over a check to me at the end of the table. It’s me, my mom, and Maverick Carter sitting there. And he says, ‘If you don’t go talk to any other companies, this is yours.’ I look at it, I look at it—10 million f—— dollars. Oh! $10 million. Just right there as an 18-year-old.”

As a kid who had been living with his mother in a small apartment, Section 8 housing, that check had the power to change his life. But it was his mom, Gloria’s, advice that convinced LeBron to weigh his options and not pounce on the first available deal on the table. Once LBJ made up his mind, even Allen Iverson couldn’t convince him to join Reebok.

Mom’s advice became a blessing for Nike as LeBron James ditched Reebok despite Allen Iverson’s push

Unable to make up his mind about Reebok’s $10 million offer, LeBron immediately turned to his mom for advice. Sure enough, she came through. “Son, trust your gut. If they’re offering you this, then who knows what the other companies may offer you.” Gloria told her son, and Bron listened. He politely rejected Krinsky’s offer and scheduled meetings with Nike and Adidas to assess his options.

In another desperate attempt to secure LeBron, Reebok involved their biggest athlete, Allen Iverson, in the negotiation talks. “We had Iverson talk to LeBron. AI didn’t come to the pitch meeting, but they talked a few times about Reebok. We facilitated an initial call with Allen, who had been at the company for seven years… Allen spoke on our behalf and was excited that LeBron was considering joining Reebok.” Krinsky revealed.

At the time, Iverson was a massive influence on young athletes, coming off an MVP season in Philly. His Answer IV sneakers were selling like hotcakes. So, Reebok hoped a discussion with him would convince LeBron to sign with them. They even upped their offer to $100 million over ten years. But it was too late. LeBron James had already made up his mind to join forces with Nike, which he deems one of the best decisions of his life. One that helped him become a billionaire. To think it might never have happened had James accepted that $10 million check from Reebok.