Michael Jordan made himself a legend on the basketball court and became one of the most fierce winners in sports history. However, his biggest impact arguably comes off the court. Headlining a brand, Air Jordan, the sneakers sit on the throne of sports culture. Since entering the league, Jordan’s sneakers grew along with him. And his one single deal continues to pay him millions to this day.

Jordan was a coveted college athlete coming out of North Carolina. As the third pick in the draft, expectations were attached to His Airness. One of the first brands to show trust in MJ was Nike. Showing their dedication to building the brand, Jordan was instantly impressed. He brought his shoes in at a time the NBA allowed only white sneakers. However, the six-time Finals MVP was one to create his own rules. He wore his iconic red and black Air Jordans despite having to pay a fine of $5000 per game.

However, that all paid off. Today, Air Jordan is arguably the most prominent sneaker brand on the market. But Jordan never grew up fond of the brand. Adidas was always his favorite. However, they made perhaps the biggest mistake which could have reshaped history.

How Adidas sold Michael Jordan to Nike

During an interview, His Airness spoke about the clash of brands who tried to sign him. At a time when Converse shoes were widespread in the league, MJ wanted to create a new culture. However, his eyes were set on Adidas. Likewise, he had a meeting with the European sports giants. Despite an impressive pitch from Nike, Jordan was willing to be a loyal partner. All he asked for was an offer even remotely close to Nike.

READ MORE – Nike Earns $3 Million Every 5 Hours from $1.7 Billion Worth Michael Jordan, But Couldn’t Replicate It for Billionaire LeBron James

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But Adidas was unable to deliver. Michael Jordan detailed his talks with them, saying, “‘If you come anywhere close, I will sign with you guys. Just anything close to what they were putting on the table.’ But at that time Adidas was a European brand, a product, that they really didn’t make a strong push for the states. They didn’t feel like it was worth it, which in hindsight is perfect for me because it made my decision that much easier and I ended up with Nike.”

Adidas’ unwillingness probably turned out to be the biggest miss in the brand’s history. Michael Jordan became the king of the court in his very first season. He surpassed the expectations Nike ever had from the Chicago Bulls legend. Air Jordan sold shoes worth $126 million in his first year alone. As time went on, the craze for Jordan sneakers skyrocketed into oblivion.

Air Jordan is arguably the single reason MJ is one of the wealthiest athletes of all time with a net worth of over $1.6 billion. His shoes gave birth to a sneaker culture that grows to this day. Air Jordan is probably the most iconic sneaker line with each new sneaker usually selling out in just minutes. Owing true to the six-time champion as a sportsman, his sneaker is a runaway success.

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Do you think Michael Jordan would have been as popular if he signed a deal with Adidas? Let us know your views in the comments below.