15 Nike Sponsored Athletes Of All Time

Year Signed: 2013

Iconic Kicks: Zoom Freak 1

Giannis Antetokounmpo inked his first four-year contract with Nike in the spring of 2013.

According to ESPN, the initial shoe contract offered him $25,000 yearly, with a $5,000 signing bonus—"more money than he had ever received in his whole life."

Antetokounmpo began his career with Nike and became a free agent at the end of September 2017. He revealed his decision on Twitter, citing "family. loyalty. and legacy" as the grounds for his re-signing with the organization.

The company did not divulge the actual terms and details of the transaction, but it is believed to be a multi-year contract worth a considerable sum of money.

Giannis has his own trademark shoe line with Nike, the "Zoom Freak 1," and a signature apparel line with Jordan Brand, a Nike subsidiary. 

The agreement also includes incentives and royalties depending on the sales of Giannis' shoe and apparel lines, as well as the potential for Giannis to engage with the brand on special projects and campaigns. 

Year Signed: 2016

Iconic Kicks: RW3

NFL star Russell Wilson inked a long-term contract with Nike in 2016. He signed the deal after quitting the sportswear company in 2014 and spent most of the previous season wearing Under Armour gear.

The contract's specifics were not released, although it was thought to be one of the league's most prominent at the time of signing.

In 2016, Forbes estimated the NFLer's net worth to be $42 million, which included his NFL salary and several endorsement deals. Wilson has also worked with Microsoft, Bose, and Braun.

Wilson and Nike released the Alpha Menace Elite 2 as the second RW3 signature shoe in July 2020.

The Nike Alpha Menace Elite 2 is designed for the athlete who lives on power and speed. Its Nike Flyknit top provides flexibility and support for rapid cuts on the field, while a TPU plate gives the elite athlete extra stability.

Year Signed: 2007

Iconic Kicks: the CP3.VII

Chris Paul has been a Jordanian athlete for the past 15 years. His shoe deal alone earns between $5 and $8 million yearly.

Over the last 15 years, CP3 has created over a dozen signature sneakers under the Jordan brand. Before Air Jordan, Paul was a Nike athlete, earning around $500,000 annually.

Paul's signature shoe, the CP3.VII was formally released by Jordan Brand in September 2013. According to Nike, the sneaker is inspired by East Los Angeles and the 1980s in which Paul grew up.

Paul inked a four-year contract with Nike worth about $600,000 per year soon before being selected fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Per ESPN, in November 2006, Paul donned Jordan 9.5's for the Hornets' season-opening game against the Boston Celtics. His contract with Jordan Brand placed him among an exclusive group of athletes that Jordan purportedly handpicks personally.

Year Signed: 2003

Iconic Kicks: Jordan Melo 1.5

Carmelo Anthony, a long-time spokesperson for Nike's Jordan line, got his first shoe contract at 19 in 2003. For six years, Carmelo was paid $3.5 million each year.

The Jordan Melo 1.5, his first trademark sneaker, was released the following year. His trademark shoe line was terminated when the Jordan Melo M13, the 13th iteration of the sneaker, was launched in early 2017, per Republic World. 

In this mini-comeback effort, Anthony appears to have eschewed wearing his trademark sneaker, instead opting for the Air Jordan 36s.

His shoe was always one of the league's less popular signature sneakers, with fewer players wearing it than Kevin Durant's, Damian Lillard's, or Kyrie Irving's.

Nonetheless, shoe enthusiasts had a soft spot for a few of Melo's most famous kicks, which, in their best moments, tended to adapt and build upon the Air Jordan launch of the time. 

Year Signed: 2012

Iconic Kicks: the Why Not Zer0.1

Russell Westbrook renewed his contract with Nike's Jordan brand for another ten years in 2017. In 2018, the nine-time All-Star earned his first signature sneaker.

According to ESPN's Nick DePaula, Westbrook agreed to a 10-year contract deal with Nike's Jordan Brand through the 2025–26 season.

The agreement was "the most lucrative overall endorsement deal for a Jordan athlete to date," as said by DePaula.

Westbrook's contract with Jordan Brand, which he signed in 2013, was set to end in 2018. The current agreement dates back to Westbrook's 2016-17 season when he was named league MVP.

The agreement represents a commitment to Westbrook that extends beyond basketball. While many athletes with shoe agreements manufacture basketball shoes, Westbrook's company has also launched lifestyle sneakers.

Year Signed: 2010

Iconic Kicks: Nike Cortez

Sharapova got the most expensive contract ever for a sportswoman, earning $70 million (£43 million) over eight years.

Sharapova's Nike contract is the most costly ever signed by a female athlete, having been extended in January 2010. The eight-year, $70 million contract surpassed Venus Williams' $43 million record pact with Reebok.

In addition, as part of the contract renewal, she launched her own tennis gear line, the "Nike Maria Sharapova Collection," in conjunction with Nike and American fashion company Cole Haan.

According to Inside Sports, Nike terminated the contract in 2018 after the athlete acknowledged having failed a drug test.

Year Signed: 1999

Iconic Kicks: RE2PECT

Derek Jeter signed with Nike's Jordan Brand in 1999. Air Jordan started manufacturing signature sneakers for Jeter in 2002. 

Nike's website sold out of "RE2PECT" caps within minutes after Jeter won the game for the New York Yankees in a walk-off manner in his 2014 home game, as reported by Forbes. 

The word "RE2PECT" proved extremely successful for Nike in less than twenty-four hours. The hashtag "#RE2PECT" was also a popular search phrase on Facebook and Twitter.

It is particularly connected with Jeter, Nike, and its Jordan Brand, which paid a lot of money to get Jeter's endorsement.

Jeter has owned more Jordan Brand sneakers than any other athlete besides Michael Jordan. According to Forbes magazine, he has also signed endorsement deals with Gatorade, Ford, and Gillette throughout the years, netting his annual endorsement earnings of $9 million in 2014.

Jeter's endorsement contract with Nike's Jordan Brand was renewed in 2016. He was named "captain" of the brand's training division. He also assisted Nike in selecting new baseball endorsers.

Year Signed: 2005

Iconic Kicks: Nike Neymar Hypervenom

Neymar signed his initial contract with Nike when he was 13 years old, which was extended through 2022 with a new contract in 2011.

Nike originally recruited Neymar to a sponsorship arrangement in 2005, while he was a member of the junior squad of Santos F.C., one of Brazil's most powerful teams.

After moving to FC Barcelona and later to Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar established himself as one of the world's finest and most popular players, and the corporation continued to support him.

However, in 2020, he switched allegiances to Puma, with no explanation for departing Nike before his contract expired. Nike is still the uniform sponsor for both PSG and the Brazilian national team.

He joined PSG in 2017 at €222 million (£200 million/$262 million) and has secured a new deal until 2025 in Paris. 

The sportswear company terminated their contract with the Brazilian in August 2020, and he has criticized their revealed reasons for doing so.

Per The New York Times, Nike alleges that they terminated their sponsorship agreement with Neymar because he failed to cooperate in an internal inquiry after a business employee accused the athlete of molestation.

Year Signed: 1999

Iconic Kicks: Zoom Vapor Cage 4 

Nike has supported Rafael Nadal since he was 13. He has sported Nike apparel and sneakers throughout his career. He has also appeared in various Nike advertising campaigns.

The "Nadal Collection" is Nadal's own range of Nike clothes and shoes. The Nadal-Nike agreement is one of the longest and most lucrative in sports sponsorship history.

Nadal wears Nike shoes and clothes throughout matches and even off the court, as seen by his frequent appearance beneath a swoosh-emblazoned cap.

In addition, Nike values its deal with Nadal, which pays him more than $10 million yearly for the association. It is said to be one of the most valuable sponsorship deals in tennis history.

The Nike emblem appears in most photos of Rafael Nadal, and there is no doubt that the company has benefited from the huge exposure that comes with being connected with the great man.

Nike invests a significant amount of time and resources in ensuring that Nadal has among the top uniform selections in the sport and the best equipment on the court.

Year Signed: 2005

Iconic Kick: Nike Zoom Kobe VII

The Kobe Bryant Estate agreed to a new long-term partnership with Nike to continue manufacturing Bryant's Zoom Kobe series footwear and gear. Vanessa Bryant and Nike announced a collaboration in March 2022.

The announcement comes nearly a year after Kobe Bryant's first Nike endorsement agreement expired.

Since Bryant's demise in a helicopter crash in January 2020, about 20% of NBA players have donned a Nike Kobe sneaker for a match. During the 2019–20 season, 102 of the 322 players playing in the league's relaunch at the Walt Disney World Resort donned a Kobe sneaker.

Nike strives to offer young athletes access to youth sports, with many worldwide projects planned to celebrate Bryant's legacy. The late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant initially joined Nike in June 2003 after signing a six-year contract with Adidas at the age of 17.

Moreover, Nike extended the business partnership following Bryant's retirement in 2016, with the Kobe AD brand, and has issued more than a dozen signature Bryant shoes in total.

Nike didn't release a Bryant shoe until March 2005, didn't promote it with advertising, and didn't premiere the partnership in a Sports Illustrated print ad until July 2005.

The Zoom Kobe I, the first sneaker bearing Bryant's name, was released in February 2006, as per CNBC.

Year Signed: 2014

Iconic Kicks: Lunar Control II 

Rory McIlroy signed a sponsorship agreement with Nike Golf in 2013. He agreed to use and promote Nike golf equipment and clothing in that deal.

The sponsorship contract was rumoured to be worth $200 million over five years, making it one of the richest in golf history. As part of the agreement, McIlroy moved from Titleist to Nike equipment. He also marketed Nike's golf apparel and footwear.

Nike launched a beautiful ad named "Ripple" in 2014, starring Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, depicting Woods' influence on McIlroy's development. It is still regarded one of the greatest commercials made by the corporation.

McIlroy said in 2017 that he would not extend his deal with Nike and would become an equipment-free agent. Subsequently, he secured a multi-year arrangement with TaylorMade to use their clubs and ball.

Year Signed: 1996

Iconic Kicks: TW ‘13

The Tiger Woods-Nike partnership is one of the most well-known athlete endorsement partnerships in sports history. It all started in 1996, the year Tiger went pro. 

Tiger's headwear and shirts have since been emblazoned with the Nike swoosh. He used Nike clubs and a Nike golf ball for numerous years (until Nike closed down its golf equipment business in August 2016).

Similarly, Tiger and Nike had many pleasant recollections of their time together, such as the Nike Golf ad in which Tiger juggles the ball with his club for almost 25 seconds before popping it up and hitting it down the practice range.

Another Nike Golf ad, featured Tiger and then-newcomer Rory McIlroy competing in a Michael Jordan-Larry Bird-style shot challenge.

Undoubtedly, the arrangement has resulted in millions of dollars in revenue for both parties. Tiger Woods signed his first contract with Nike in 1996 (for $40 million over five years).

The relationship was renewed in 2013 for an unspecified amount, and it stayed intact even when Nike discontinued golf equipment manufacturing in 2016.

Conversely, Nike has earned significant brand exposure for the better part of 20 years by partnering with the renowned golfer.

As said by Apex Marketing, Nike gained around $22,540,000 in brand equity from Woods' on-camera exposure during the last round of the Masters telecast on CBS, where spectators could see the Nike swoosh on Tiger's helmet, shirt, pants, and shoes.

Year Signed: 2003

Iconic Kick: Lebron X

LeBron James has been associated with Nike even before he entered the NBA. James agreed to a seven-year, $90 million contract with the corporation in 2003. 

At that time, many questioned whether Nike skated too much for an 18-year-old who had yet to play a professional game. 

Not only has James performed admirably on the court, but he has also aided Nike's bottom line. According to Forbes' Kurt Basdenhausen, between February 2014 and January 2015, sales of his namesake sneaker exceeded $340 million, making him the company's highest earner. 

When Nike signed James, it had recently surpassed $10.3 million in yearly sales and had spent its first year selling more items outside the United States than inside. 

During an investor conference in October, Nike up from $30.6 billion in 2015, stated their goal of $50 billion in revenue by 2020. In March 2010, as James was nearing the end of his first contract, Nike signed him for another nine years. 

Even when things were not going well, James Nike's business remained stable. Because of the fit of his LeBron 11 sneaker, he didn't wear it for most of the 2013–14 season, although the product sold well at retail. 

Year Signed: 2016

Iconic Kicks: Mercurial Vapor

Nike announced a lifelong partnership with worldwide soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo in November 2016. Nike paid Ronaldo a whopping £147 million to represent the brand. 

The Ronaldo-Nike alliance began in 2003, the same year Ronaldo moved to Manchester United, where he spent six seasons until joining Spanish superpower Real Madrid in 2009. 

Over the course of 13 years, Ronaldo has worn 60 different types of Nike cleats. The lifelong endorsement deals are allegedly valued up to $1 billion, identical to James' arrangement. 

Nike gives Ronaldo $20 million each year, and even with a 30% wage decrease due to the coronavirus epidemic, Ronaldo earned $60 million in 2020.

According to a Forbes study from 2016, Nike got off easy based on a survey by Hookit, which analyzed the social and digital media value for businesses.

Hookit discovered that Ronaldo's strong social media presence created $474 million in value for Nike in 2016 with 329 postings across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

During the first 11 months of the year, he posted 1515 times on social media, with 21.7 percent of those postings endorsing Nike via a hashtag, mention, or emblem. 

Year Signed: 1984

Iconic Kick: Air Jordan 1

Michael Jordan and Nike endorsement has been most lucrative and popular deal in the history. Nike has always been Jordan's major financial and marketing supporter. 

Since signing its initial contract with Jordan in 1984, the sportswear firm has paid him an estimated $1.3 billion, according to Forbes, and it has helped him become a cultural idol. 

It is the most expensive athlete endorsement contract in history, but it may also be the best value, given Jordan's involvement in converting Nike from a scrappy underdog to one of the world's largest and most valuable consumer brands.  

Jordan wore Converse sneakers at the University of North Carolina before signing with the Bulls, and his initial option after being picked was to join Adidas. 

However, Jordan's agent, David Falk, had a good relationship with Nike and persuaded Jordan to listen to the company's proposal. They finally gave him a five-year contract with a basic salary of $500,000 each year. It paid him three times as much as any previous NBA footwear contract.

Nevertheless, the NBA banned MJ's debut sneaker with Nike because it did not fit the league's color criteria. Nike paid the fee and capitalized on the opportunity with a famous 1984 ad. 

The first Air Jordan sneaker hit the market the following year, grossing more than $100 million in its first year.

After that, MJ's salary increased as the Jordan brand grew, and he received an estimated $130 million from Nike in 2019, which is four times more than LeBron James, who has the largest shoe deal among active NBA players. 

While Nike contributed to Jordan's billionaire status, his current net worth is $1.7 billion, and he opened the road for Nike to overtake Adidas and other competitors. 

In the fiscal year ending May 2019, Jordan Brand generated $3.1 billion in revenue, accounting for only 8% of total company revenue.Nike has a market valuation of $143.5 billion as of October 2022, making it the world's 66th most valuable corporation.