Former NBA superstar and current owner of the Charlotte Hornets, Michael Jordan, earned more than twice the sum he made from playing basketball during his NBA career in 2022 alone, thanks to Nike and his still-growing Jordan Brand.
The relationship between Nike and Jordan is a symbiotic one as one might not have thrived as much without the other.
Jordan signed on with the sportswear brand during his rookie year in 1984 and, despite retiring from the game of basketball for good in 2003, is still raking in millions from said brand. His sneaker sales still dwarf that of active NBA players, with Jordans by far the most popular shoes on the planet.
According to Front Office Sports, the Jordan Brand brought in $5.1 billion last year and, with Jordan earning five percent of that, he would have received $256.1 million, more than twice the $90 million he earned in 15 seasons on the court.
The former Chicago Bulls shooting guard also has his mother to thank as he was hellbent on signing with Adidas and had to be convinced to give the startup brand a listening ear.
Magic Johnson turned the company down and probably still regrets it.
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Meanwhile, Jordan’s net worth stands at $1.7 billion, according to Forbes, while the Jordan Brand has earned $19.4 million over the span of the last five years.
