CLEVELAND - High school basketball star LeBron James signed a multiyear endorsement deal on Thursday with Nike, which outbid Reebok and Adidas for the 18-year-old star, who is expected to be the NBA's No. 1 draft pick next month.

Terms of the deal negotiated were not released, but a source close to James, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press the deal was worth more than $90 million.

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[Edited on 5-22-2003 by Illmatic67]

90 Million!!!! And he hasn't even played pro ball yet!!!

I find it strange that he hasnt even proved himself yet and already he gets that kind of $.

I hate this sh*t. People that play pro sports recieve way too much for their "jobs".

Yeah you say that but if someone offered you that kind of money to do the same thing you wouldn't turn it down so quit bitching about it.

Don't hate Lebron though. He's worked so hard to be the best high school player in the world. I just hope he's not a flop in the NBA, that'd be so embarrassing. He's recieved more press than any other high schooler put together. His bar for success is set really high and he still hasn't graduated!

True true. After they invest that kind of money on him lets just hope he can live up to his potential.

it's ridiculous for anyone to have this amount of money....

Of course, it really won't matter much though. He'll likely be coked up and end up driving his lambourghini off a cliff before he hits 20 anyways....

18 yrs old+90 Million dollars+Not being born into it = Early death. It's a rather simple equation....poor guy, but he'll do it to himself....

Gazrok, what in the world are you talking about?

Most of the NBA players today making the most money werent born into it either. They were born in the projects and lived off food stamps and I haven't heard of not one driving their lambourghini off a cliff.

Did I ever say that I would turn it down? No, I didnt so shut the hell up. The truth of the matter is, theres no reason anyone should have that much money for playing basketball. Whats the average pay of a school teacher?

[Edited on 22-5-2003 by Tetsuo-51]

[Edited on 24-5-2003 by Tetsuo-51]

that because we dont need school teachers anymore...now whats most important in this world is basketball.

actually, the $90mil isn't for playing basketball.. it's simply for having his picture taken while saying "Nike Good, Adidas Bad."

Man, I would've done that for a free t-shirt.

edit- i can't say t-shirt? ok, then.. a free jacket.

[Edited on 22-5-2003 by quango]

[Edited on 22-5-2003 by quango]

this is big news here in Cleveland, and I couldn't be happier that the Cavs got him!!! Whoo hoo.


Lebron has already had his fair share of controversy. He accepted a few 'gifts' and was suspended for a few games. I'll side with him though: owner of a sports clothing store gave him two jerseys, seemed innocent enough. He's a kid and got free stuff. Though, he seems like a pretty stand up kid, so far. He wasn't born into poverty either, his mom bought him a Hummer in the beginning of the school year.

I say go for it.

If you've got the talent to convince Nike to pay you $90,000,000.00 to help them sell athletic shoes (!) then that's fine... whoo hoo! He played the sports lottery and won big.

Cleveland will have top bid for him. I think it's great. The kid gets to stay at home with his family and friends.

"Season tickets, anyone?" -LeBron.

bob has never had season tickets for the Cavs and thinking about getting them! All games I have seen in recent history have been because of who the visiting teams was, and with the way the Cavs have been playing, and noting the attendance, I am sure I am not the only one with that m.o.

I'm with you illmatic, there's something special, I could imagine, about playing in your home town.

. He's worked so hard to be the best high school player in the world. I just hope he's not a flop in the NBA, that'd be so embarrassing. Posted by Illmatic67

What Im wondering is since he is already getting $90 mil to just be photoed wearing shoes, and has yet to set foot on a NBA court in a game, what incentive does he have to do anything?

What if he is signed by Cleveland (or anyone else for that matter)... he already has more money than he ever thought he would, and now hes being hounded by the media... what if he just decides he doesnt need to put forth the effort needed to be a decent player, since he already got his money?

If he turns out to be a huge slouch, it will be a huge embarrassment, both to him personally, and to the NBA as a whole.

the problem with the "he played the sports lottery and won big" angle is that most kids who do that end up with # jobs or have no future at all. Yeah, playing a good game of ball can move you up in the world, but focusing on academics WILL move you up, for sure. As things stand, the 'pro-ball' mentality has sidetracked inner-city culture into propgating the idea that basketball is life... all that does is mess-up EVERYONE's life.

And, no, I'm not just some archie bunker in the suburbs. I work for the IL Department of Education and have been mugged twice in the city. Trust me, a culture exists within the city that doesn't even acknowledge the 'academic' route to success.

Jim

PS I can't believe I agree with Gazrok. The world MUST be ending. Nibru must be on its way here

I agree 100%

whoa whoa whoa whoa calm down man you're going to give yourself a heart attack getting all upset like that.