“He’s gonna fire me when it’s over!”: Michael Jordan’s agent recalls an eerily silent first meet with Nike in 1984

Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan was reluctant to sign a deal with Nike in 1984 until he was convinced otherwise

In the 90s, Michael Jordan was among the most well-known names in the world. He was perhaps as popular as the pope during the height of his career.

The way Jordan went viral in a pre-social media era is unheard of. Back when information flow wasn’t as seamless, the only way to fame was to be newsworthy. And MJ was as newsworthy as they get.

The Chicago Bulls legend won 6 NBA titles. His unmatched skill set was way ahead of its time. In fact, even current players sing praises for the GOAT.

But, just his on-court performance, although newsworthy, wasn’t enough to lead to global acclaim. Much of the credit for his worldwide popularity goes to the larger-than-life persona MJ and his team created.

Michael was bigger than the game, bigger than the Bulls or even the NBA. And while his heart belonged to basketball, he knew it wasn’t enough to just play exceptionally.

Even at a young age, he understood the value of taking the right decisions and creating the correct brand image.

Allen Iverson, a 2000s sensation, accurately reflected the emotions of the entire basketball community in his Hall of Fame speech.

AI: “I have to thank this man, because without his vision, I promise you, there wouldn’t be no Hall of Fame Allen Iverson standing at this podium if it wasn’t for this guy. He gave me the vision, man. And you want to be fast like Isaiah and you want to shoot like Bird. Rebound like Barkley. Pass like Magic. Be dominant like Shaq. But man, I wanted to be like, Mike.”

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Michael Jordan’s former agent revealed how pissed the superstar looked during negotiations with Nike

Everybody once wanted to be like Mike. They wanted to dress like Mike, play like Mike, and celebrate like Mike. Nike became that bridge, that magic portal that could bring Jordan’s fans a little closer to their idol.

Today, Air Jordan is one of the most desired brands. There is nothing quite like it still. The feeling you get with some AJs on is indescribable.

But Michael’s former agent David Falk revealed how the deal between Nike and the legend almost went south in 1984.

As per Falk, the 5-time MVP was smitten with Adidas. A hefty and chaotic schedule had left Jordan exhausted. So, when Falk pitched Nike to him, MJ wasn’t the least bit interested. That is until his mother stepped in.

At his mother’s urging, His Airness decided to at least go and meet Nike. Falk later narrated how Jordan looked utterly unimpressed with the brand.

Falk: “Jordan does not crack a smile. He looks like he’s about to cry. He looks like he’s about to scream. He’s angry. I’m dying because I know he’s hating this, and he’s gonna fire me when this is over.”

Imagine if the deal hadn’t come through. The world would have been deprived of the OG sneakers brand and many resellers would have lost their livelihood.

But the deal was a success. Today, Air Jordan is worth more than $10 billion and MJ is worth $2.2 billion. All because of a reluctant meeting.

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