The story of Michael Jordan, his rise to the NBA world, and his partnership with Nike have become common knowledge owing to the film industry. ‘Air Jordan’ got an unheard-of deal from Nike before ever stepping on the court. But despite this, Michael Jordan still somehow believes that his generation scraped and worked for every little penny they got, while the younger guys were simply had it handed to them on a silver platter.
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Michael Jordan did of course go on to become the greatest of all time. However, are these statements really fair considering just how much he himself had received before he ever set foot on an NBA floor?
Michael Jordan believes the new generation lacks motivation
In the interview with Michael Jordan on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’, he talked to Oprah about the difference between how the current generation is being paid when compared to their generation having to earn it. Here is what Jordan said:
“We earned what we got. Now they get that before they play one game. We don’t know how good or great they are going to be. But yet they got 5 year guarantee, millions of dollars, admirations of many. So you are rolling the dice to see if this kid is ever going to be this good or not. So in essence, you are paying the kid off potential! When you get things so easily, you are not gonna work as hard.”
Around the 1970s and 19080s, basketball players entered the NBA after playing for a considerable period in college. The scouts and the sponsors had many opportunities to evaluate the players. The vetting process was more diligent. The brands did not have money to throw around, and their risk appetite was low.
Nowadays, the top-rated athletes enter the draft right after they turn 18 or 19, whether that means leaving college, an overseas team, or the G League to make it happen. Taking a look at Ja Morant’s current predicament, he came into the NBA after his sophomore season at Murray State and while his talent is certainly deserving of his endorsements and contracts worth over $10 million per year right out the gate, his ‘extracurricular activities’ (constantly seen brandishing a firearm on social media) have brought into question whether he was given too much too quick.
While that is due to opportunities coming to them a bit sooner than what can be said about past generations, it must also be noted that most draft prospects today also work infinitely harder than most NBA players from years past.
Further, Michael Jordan acquired quite a hefty contract from Nike before he ever dribbled a ball on an NBA court. So, wouldn’t he be a bit of a hypocrite in making this statement?
Michael Jordan’s Nike deal began the trend
The irony of the situation is that it was Michael Jordan’s Nike deal that changed the sponsorship industry. The story has now been portrayed in the Netflix documentary ‘The Last Dance’ and Ben Affleck-Matt Damon’s movie ‘Air’. His deal with the sneaker giant revolutionized the sports industry.
It was the first time a company built a sneaker line keeping a player in mind. Exclusivity was the buzzword, and Air Jordan did exactly that. Michael signed a 5-year, $2.5 million contract with the company, as per Temple Now. This was just the tip of the iceberg. Jordan would also receive a piece of every shoe sold with his name on it and continues to do so.
If the deal was not groundbreaking enough, the shoe itself broke barriers. The Air Jordan 1 was red and black, which defied the NBA’s rule of having 51% white color. It was an instant hit amongst the fans and is now even a signature brand. Jordan has reaped millions off the deal.
