Obsessed with a $40,000 Red Mercedes, Michael Jordan didn’t know of Nike’s existence until George Raveling’s intervention: “Quite Immature”

The collaboration between Michael Jordan and Nike proved to be an ideal match. It propelled Nike to a level comparable to Adidas and Converse, if not surpassing them. This influential partnership might not have come to fruition if it weren’t for the intervention of Team USA coach George Raveling. The book Michael Jordan: The Life, written by Roland Lazenby, spoke extensively about Jordan’s ignorance and immaturity before signing the Nike deal.

Jordan would have only budged to sign a contract if Nike had fulfilled his wish of getting a red Mercedes 380SL. Realistically, the only options he was seeking at that time were Converse and Adidas. Converse had already signed two-star players: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Placing their bets on a rookie Jordan would have been foolish.

George Raveling had a major role in signing Michael Jordan with Nike

Sonny Vaccaro received a promise from Team USA coach George Raveling, who played a pivotal role in persuading Michael to consider the deal. Prior to this encounter, MJ had no knowledge of Nike. Undoubtedly, this agreement marked a historic milestone in the sports industry, propelling Nike Inc. to rapid success in the shoe-making business.

Despite being a bright and young prodigy in the NBA at the age of 21, MJ regarded himself as immature for initially neglecting Nike. He encountered Sonny Vaccaro and Rob Strasser, who effectively elucidated Nike’s goals and the potential of the Jordan brand. Vaccaro warmly recalls his first meeting with MJ. It was facilitated by Raveling and he remembers the various factors that enabled the realization of the Jordan project.

As quoted in the book “Michael Jordan: A Life” by Roland Lazenby, Vaccaro recalls his meeting with Jordan:

“It was Tony Roma’s and George brought Michael there and introduced me. That’s the first time in my life I’d ever meet Michael. We sat down and talked about his going to Nike. He didn’t even know about Nike. You have to understand that. And I told him, ‘Michael, you don’t know me, but we’re going to build a shoe for you. No one has this shoe.’ ”

The plan devised by Rob Strasser and Sonny Vaccaro proved successful. MJ agreed to a five-year contract valued at $2.5 million, including a signing bonus of $500,000. The rest, as they say, is history. This decision turned out to be immensely significant for both Nike and Jordan.

Did MJ receive the red Mercedes 380SL from his deal with Nike?

Michael Jordan did not receive the red Mercedes 380SL he insisted on from all three interested parties. Instead, Vaccaro pulled out two toy cars and started rolling them on the conference table.

The Nike executives did show Jordan prototypes of what was to become Air Jordan 1. Peter Moore explained his plans to add wings to the Air Jordan logo. He also showed Jordan a black and red color ‘Air Ship.’

Jordan laced up the Air Jordan 1 for the first time on November 17 in his debut match against the 76ers. And since then, the iconic colors red and black have always been associated with Jordan’s iconic career. The Air Jordan 1 with the original Chicago Bulls theme is a valued possession for any sneakerhead or basketball fan.