Lakers: LeBron James Almost Signed A Sportswear Deal Pre-Nike

Longtime sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro worked for Nike (and was a key part of Michael Jordan's decision to sign with the Beaverton, Oregon-based sportswear brand), Adidas, and Rebook and founded the high school basketball showcase the ABCD Camp in 1984.

He sat down with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson of Bally Sports for an episode of Robinson's Scoop B Radio Podcast program. During their conversation, Vaccaro discussed which of his jobs just missed out on signing current Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James, now entering his 20th NBA season.

Here's the full episode:

"Basically, LeBron and I made a deal way before [his eventual Nike contract]," Vaccaro said. "No money was exchanged. I met him and his mother and the company I worked for, Adidas, and they gave me their word of honor that I could offer the money... I was told I had to give $100 million."

"We opened up the presentation and I’ve never seen it like LeBron, and the number wasn’t [what he had been told it would be]. It totaled ours with incentives to $90 million. But it was incentives! They didn’t get the $90 million. And there was NO way they were going to get LeBron James for $70 million + incentives. The first thing I said to him was, 'It’s cash that day and incentives will come after'… and I know what I said and LeBron knows."

"[James], his mother and I were closely bonded and Maverick [Carter] was involved with him, but Maverick was a young kid like he was at that time and he is who he is today and they all did well, but mainly history would’ve changed; but couldn’t have changed for the better because he’s turning out to be one of the best players that ever played. He’s made more money than anyone at this point in time off of shoe contracts and all that, so it was a good decision. My gripe was that I gave somebody my word that I can do it and I didn’t do it and I left Adidas right after that."

After the offer was below the sum Vaccaro quoted to James, the future Hall of Famer ditched Adidas and opted to sign with Nike. James has done... pretty well by the Knight family.

"They lied to me too just so you know," Vaccaro noted. "The offer was for $100 million. I knew it was going to be something outlandish. I’m pretty good at setting numbers."

It's hard to imagine an alternate reality sans the LeBron James Innovation Center, but it sounds like that almost happened.