LeBron James is the most powerful athlete in the world, and the best basketball player on the planet. Luckily for Nike, they have the pleasure of James representing them, and no one in the world has more exposure and influence as the king.
He is the perfect role model, athlete and fashion sportswear representative we have in the game today, as he continues to etch his name in history for the business side of athlete ventures.
His basketball genius sees him rise above the rest, and Chase Ceperano, the co-owner of boutique retailer Rise, told Footwear News James’ elite status on the floor should match his growing stardom outside the arena also via footwearnews.com.
“LeBron should be the NBA MVP every year. His individual numbers and his team’s performance back that up.”
“The No. 1 sportswear brand in the world needs to have equity in the number-one athlete in the game.”
So far, Nike have released 14 signature shoes for James, as well as 10 silhouettes in his most popular Zoom LeBron Solider’s.
James may be the best at his craft, but his assets away from basketball make him so valuable to Nike.
“He has a tremendous personality, he’s thoughtful in his answers, he’s well-prepared for questions, and he works hard and plays well,” said Matt Powell, VP and sports industry analyst with The NPD Group. “It’s the combination of all those things that makes him an excellent spokesperson.”
“He doesn’t get involved in anything too crazy, too controversial. He’s an athlete kids can see as a role model,” he said. “If Nike had to make a decision on what athlete to go to town with, it’s easy to rely on someone you could count on to stay out of trouble.”
“He’s established himself as a cultural icon beyond just an athlete icon, [and] he can definitely move the needle as a fashion icon,” Powell said. “We’ve seen him influence a lot of things, like when he wore the heavy black-rim glasses, kids wanted to get those.”
With the ongoing war of basketball driven brands competing with Nike, the likes of Adidas, Under Armor, Reebok and others remain a tier below as James keeps Nike ahead of the pack.
