Kevin Durant is a wanted man. Reportedly, Nike will match Under Armour’s almost $300 million endorsement offer in order to keep KD in their services.
Reports ESPN:
Nike has countered Under Armour’s offer of between $265 million and $285 million and believes it will keep Kevin Durant for the next 10 years, sources told ESPN. Nike, whose seven-year deal that guaranteed Durant $60 million is expiring, made an initial offer of about $20 million a year that was far from what Durant was looking for. Under Armour’s huge play for Durant had many believing that Nike would even let him go at that price.
But on Saturday, Nike officials told Durant and his team at Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports that it would indeed step up enough to allow the world’s largest shoe and apparel company to keep him in its robust stable of basketball endorsers that includes LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
Here’s the kicker, it’s possible that Durant’s new shoe contract will earn him more money than his NBA contract in the same two-year period.
You the real MVP, Nike.
Although Nike will be paying Durant more money, Under Armour’s offer also included a 10% ownership stake in the fledgling but growing shoe company.
Durant’s latest signature shoe, the Nike KD 7, was released in June.
Let us know if you think Nike, or Durant, made the right decision or not in the comments.
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Photo: Nike
