Sonny Vaccaro credits his relationship with Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, as the catalyst for one of the most significant deals in sports marketing history. Michael Jordan was not interested in signing the deal with Nike at first, but Vaccaro convinced Deloris Jordan in the early 1980s and used that connection to sign Jordan to his first shoe contract. The iconic deal was groundbreaking, as it gave Jordan a portion of Air Jordan’s profits and transformed Nike into a dominant player in the shoe industry. Recently, Vaccaro revealed how he and his wife cried recently after getting a message from Deloris Jordan through actor Viola Davis.

Vaccaro’s close relationship with Deloris allowed him to gain access to Jordan before he had even played a single game for the Chicago Bulls. This gave Nike a unique opportunity to sign Jordan before he became a superstar, and the deal ultimately paid off handsomely.?

Deloris Jordan?s message to Sonny Vaccaro and his wife

By 2020, Jordan had reportedly made over $1 billion from Nike. Vaccaro’s role in brokering this deal catapulted him to the forefront of the sneaker industry, where he continued to make waves for years to come, signing other high-profile athletes. During a recent Vanity Fair interview, Vaccaro explained that he had asked someone for Deloris’s phone number, and they began conversing over the phone, leading to a close relationship. This relationship was the basis for their last meeting in Oregon, where they came even closer.

Vaccaro went on to explain that he had not met Viola Davis (who plays Deloris Jordan in the film ?Air?) until the premiere party. When he introduced himself to the Academy Award-winning actress, she immediately recognized him and thanked him for his contributions.

During their hug, Viola revealed that she had spoken to Deloris the day before and that she had asked her to say hello to Pam and Sonny. Vaccaro and his wife were moved to tears by this revelation, showing the depth of the relationship between Vaccaro and Deloris Jordan. Viola delivered Jordan?s mother’s message to Vaccaro and his wife, ?Son, I want to tell you something. I talked to Deloris Jordan yesterday. She told me to say hello to Pam and Sonny.?

Read more: ?Gathering Information Before She Comes In With the Kill?: Michael Jordan?s 81-Year-Old Mother Deloris Made Viola Davis? Jaw Drop With Her Intellect

Michael Jordan has not spoken to Vaccaro in a long time?

Sonny Vaccaro also revealed that he has not spoken to Michael Jordan or anyone from Nike since his departure from the company. However, he shared that his friend Ben had spent a day golfing with Jordan and received his blessing regarding Vaccaro. Jordan reportedly stated that he had no problems with the former Nike executive, indicating that their past business dealings had not impacted their personal relationship.

Watch this story: ?I Never Heard It From Michael Jordan?: Hurt by The Last Dance Betrayal, Isiah Thomas Still Seeks an Apology

Vaccaro went on to explain that when he began working for Adidas, he found himself on the opposite side of the fence, with Nike becoming his biggest competition. Incidentally, Matt Damon his character in the movie.