The Business of N.B.A. Stars

There are many professional basketball players in the N.B.A. that have growing endorsements each year. Ever since Michael Jordan's dominance in the sport, basketball players have seen increasing revenues each year. Young star Lebron James signed a $90 million deal with Nike when he entered the league at 18 years old. This was before he even played a minute in the league. He also receives endorsements by Coca-Cola for the soda Sprite, as well as Jordan's own company, "Jump-Man 23." The image of the N.B.A., however, is a big concern for the commissioner, David Stern. When Kobe Bryant faced rape charges in 2004, he lost some of his major sponsors, which included Sprite. Now, it is young stars like Lebron, Dwyane Wade, and Carmello Anthony that represent the N.B.A. in its main advertising. In addition, they all hold major sponsorships from companies such as Nike, T-Mobile, Sprite, Reebok, and Converse. These deals all add up to over $100 million. As the N.B.A. grows, the league is using its star players to advertise, as well as major companies in the U.S. From Michael Jordan, all the way down, the N.B.A.'s finest have reaped many benefits, and there will be plenty more in the future.