Professional basketball players earn a percentage of the sales from their shoe endorsements. The most popular players in the league can earn up to 15% of the total wholesale price of their signature shoes. For example, LeBron James reportedly received $32 million from Nike last year, while Kevin Durant earned $ 26 million from his deal with Nike that same year. While these numbers may seem staggering, it’s important to remember that the top basketball players in the world are some of the most marketable athletes on the planet.
Types Of Shoe Deals
When it comes to shoe deals, there are three different types:
Signature Deals
Signature deals are the most common shoe deals and usually involve a player being paid to wear a specific shoe brand. A player’s percentage varies depending on their level of play and popularity.
Cash Deals
Cash deals are less common than signature deals but still occur occasionally. In these cases, a player is paid a lump sum of cash in exchange for wearing a particular shoe brand. The amount of money a player can make from a cash deal depends on their level of play and popularity but is typically much less than what they would make from a signature deal.
Merch Deals
Merch deals are another common type of shoe deal and usually involve a player receiving a certain amount of money for each pair of shoes sold.
Lebron, Kobe, And Durant Are Still No Match For Michael Jordan:
Michael Jordan may be retired from the NBA, but he’s still raking in the dough regarding his shoe deals. The Nike deal he signed back in 1984 still pays him today and is estimated to be worth $130 million. That’s more than double what LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant make from their shoe deals.
Jordan’s deal is a lifetime contract, so he’ll keep getting paid as long as Nike sells his shoes. And they do. Even though Jordan hasn’t played in the NBA in over a decade, his shoes are still some of the most popular on the market. They’re outselling LeBron’s sneakers by a wide margin.
Which NBA Players Have Nike Shoe Contracts?
Nike is the world’s largest basketball shoe company, and they have many signature athletes. The two most popular Nike basketball players are LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. They both have a line of shoes and are very successful. Nike also has other great players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony. All of these players have a lot of fans and sell a lot of shoes.
Richest NBA Players’ Shoe Contracts:
In the NBA, players’ shoe contracts can be worth tens of millions of dollars. The following is a list of the richest NBA players’ shoe contracts:
Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is one of the most popular basketball players in the world. He has his signature shoe line with Adidas and just signed a deal to make 10 million dollars. This huge amount of money shows how much Adidas values Lillard.
Kyrie Irving
In 2017, Nike and Kyrie Irving agreed to an eleven-million-dollar deal that would last until 2023. As part of the deal, Kyrie would get his signature shoe line. While the terms of the deal were not made public, it is estimated that Kyrie makes between 8 and 11 percent royalties on selling his shoes. In 2018, it was estimated that Nike sold $130 million worth of Kyrie’s signature shoes.
This means that Kyrie could have made anywhere from $10.4 million to $14.3 million in 2018 from selling his shoes alone. That is an incredible amount of money for a player who is still relatively early in his career. And it is a testament to Kyrie’s popularity as a player and the appeal of his signature shoes.
Russell Westbrook
When it comes to Russell Westbrook, his shoes are worth every penny. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has a deal with Jordan Brand that pays him $12 million annually.
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade is one of the most popular basketball players in the world. He has his line of shoes with the Chinese company, Li-Ning. He signed a deal with them for $12 million. This is a lot of money, but it is a small percentage of what Wade makes each year.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant’s Nike shoes are some of the most popular on the market. They are also one of the most expensive, with a price tag of $16 million.
Stephen Curry
The NBA’s most valuable player Stephen Curry has a new contract with Under Armour that will pay him $20 million a year. The contract is one of the richest endorsement deal ever for a basketball player.
Curry’s annual income from endorsements will now surpass $30 million. That includes his existing deals with Nike, Degree, Chase, and others. His new Under Armour deal is the biggest single endorsement contract in the history of the NBA.
Kevin Durant
In 2017, Nike and Kevin Durant signed a 10-year, $300 million contract extension that could be worth up to $1 billion. Under the deal, Nike will pay Durant an average of $26 million annually for the next ten years.
Lebron James
LeBron James is one of the most popular basketball players in the world. He has a huge fan base, and his endorsement deals are very lucrative. Nike pays him $32 million per year to endorse their products.
This is a large sum of money, but it is a small percentage of what Nike makes each year. The company brings in billions of dollars in revenue and can afford to pay James a large sum of money.
Michael Jordan
When it comes to basketball shoes, Michael Jordan is in a league of his own. The former Chicago Bulls star has his line of sneakers with Nike, which are some of the most popular and expensive on the market. Jordan himself is estimated to be worth a whopping $130 million.
FAQs
What do NBA players do with their shoes after a game?
After a game, NBA players typically have several options for what they can do with their shoes:
- Keep them: Many players keep their game-worn shoes as mementos, especially if they had a notable performance or achievement during the game.
- Sign and give them away: Some players sign their shoes and give them to fans, charitable causes, or other players as a gesture of goodwill.
- Donate them: Some players choose to donate their game-worn shoes to charity auctions or foundations to raise funds for various causes.
- Exchange with other players: NBA players often exchange their shoes with each other as a sign of respect or friendship.
How big is the basketball shoe market?
The global market for basketball shoes is currently worth US$ 5,291 Million.
What nba players have adidas shoes?
Many NBA players have endorsement deals with Adidas, including James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Donovan Mitchell.
What athletes have their own shoes?
Some athletes who have their own shoe lines include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant in basketball, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in soccer.
How many shoes does lebron sell a year?
LeBron James reportedly sells over 20 million pairs of shoes annually, making him one of the top-selling athletes in the sneaker industry.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, basketball players receive a percentage of the proceeds from selling their shoes. The percentage varies depending on the player and the shoe brand, but it is typically between 1 and 5 percent. For many players, this can amount to a significant sum of money.
Clyde Jackson III is a basketball coach and the founder of GCBC Basketball, a basketball-related learning and informational website that focuses on helping young players develop their skills on and off the court. With over 15 years of coaching experience, Clyde has worked with players of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to professionals.