Nike Zoom LeBron

In 2003, Lebron James signed a $90 million contract with Nike to be the exclusive outfitter of his footwear and clothing needs for 7 years. Nike won a heated bidding war against sneaker rivals Reebok and Adidas. This was the largest shoe deal ever made. The first Lebron James shoes were released only months after the deal was made.

The Lebron James shoes deal was far larger than the one Nike made with Michael Jordan. Jordan received only a 5 year, $2.5 million dollar contract. Lebron James earned more than 25 times more per year with his sneaker deal than Jordan did with his Lebron James shoes. LeBron James's endorsement deal is also nearly on par with the five-year, $100 million deal Nike gave Tiger Woods in 2000.

Nike has released several models of the Air Zoom Lebron series as well as many exclusive Lebron Air Force Ones and a few special edition Lebron James Dunks SB.