Chapter 01 Entering the NBA and signing with NIKE

For 13 seasons, Michael Jordan danced gracefully on the hardwood floor of the NBA arena, composing a series of refreshing notes. With his warrior-like courage and artist-like accomplishments, "Airman" Jordan became an idol in the minds of everyone in the 20th century.

On the court, Jordan created a myth. He led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships; off the court, Jordan collaborated with business partners to develop markets and create endless wealth. In a word, the life of a "flying man" is well-known.

The "Flying Man" has now retired from basketball, and NBA fans all miss him deeply. Recently, Random House published Jordan's autobiography "For the love of the Game." The book is equipped with more than 200 pictures provided by the world's most famous photographers, which can be called a record of Jordan's life and spiritual trajectory. It vividly presents the life, career and personality of the "flying man" in front of people.

It was back in 1982, when the University of North Carolina, where I was, was competing with Georgetown University for the title of All-American. Ying? Yiqiang 竦妳氠? Yibo Noon?獬"heat? Nao⑿Di8 cover cone halo should carry the bones to stop Pao Huangdu? Mei Min? Wan Nang Sulfur Crab ⑸? Sauboumumumu?

I never took my father’s words to heart until today, when I recalled my college years, my entire basketball career, and my achievements, I truly realized that since that game. Everything has really changed - not just basketball, but my life. I thought it was just a father's expectation and wish for his son, but unexpectedly, he saw that even I couldn't see clearly.

If I could go back in time, I can’t say that my father’s words would all come true, but looking at my own children now, I can indeed tell which one of them will become a better one. Athletes, who will be more successful, and what jobs they will have in the future. So, the father can also predict which child has a unique talent.

Let's say you can find someone who is 6.2 feet tall. , but this alone is not enough. I am 6.6 feet tall and have an amazing talent for basketball-this is my talent. My brother Larry is also very smart, but he is only 5.8. feet tall; I believe he can still play well, but he doesn't have the opportunity like me. So now I think: Why is it me who has the opportunity to play basketball well? I firmly believe that my father knows that he can see clearly that it is not me. The Chicago Bulls are not hidden things that anyone else can see. This is my father's unique talent. I really want to talk to him again. How much did he see now?

Now I begin to truly believe that there are many things in life that no one has figured out. The only thing that appealed to me after high school was the University of Los Angeles, but I ended up attending the University of North Carolina. But then I found out that this was not the case. It became a wise choice because I could play under Coach Smith, who could teach me how to play from the very basics. When I decided to pursue professional basketball in 1984, the Olympics were not only held in the United States, but also in Los Angeles. I just finished my junior season in college and Kevin Lovely took a liking to me. From then on, I believed that Kevin, who had coached Irving, was the best coach. He knew my potential and could provide me with ample room for development. I also believed that Chicago was the best place to go. At that time, Irving was about to leave, and Larry Bird and "Magic" Johnson were still playing. They always took the spotlight; and I was not Grant who entered the NBA with people's expectations. ·Hill or "Shark" O'Neal. But because of this, I have endless motivation to move forward.

Chicago can make any difference, and the city of Chicago must embrace great players. If it wasn't for Chicago, Nike wouldn't have pushed me to where I did.

I will always believe that my potential will be found no matter which team I go to, but having that off the court helps. With everything I developed, the situation was completely different. Therefore, I have to believe that life continues in some primitive rhythm and follows a path that I don’t know where it will lead. This may be a kind of fate, just like me and the Chicago Bulls.

When I first joined the team, my admiration for Magic Johnson and Larry Bird was not as deep as my admiration for Irving. When I was a kid, I was also nicknamed "Magic", but the NBA player I really knew was Irving. In the 1950s and 1960s, people knew that DiMaggio and Robinson had close relationships with business, but Irving was the first basketball player to achieve great success in seeking business partners. It was his pioneering work that made me more confident. Irving's relationship with Coca-Cola was like my relationship with Nike later.

Speaking of Nike, I have something to say.

I never thought about signing a contract with Nike because I had a crush on Adidas since I was in middle school. In fact, I didn’t even want to meet Nike.

In the summer of 1984, I was flying all over the country for the Bulls and the Olympics, and I was very tired. Nike was interested in working with me, and I told everyone that I didn’t want to meet with Nike, let alone fly to Portland, Oregon, to sign with Nike. My parents finally advised me: "Son, this is very important. You should listen to everyone's suggestions." So I was dragged to Oregon. That day I entered the conference room, and Robert Strasser, Phil Knight, Dinko Hatfield, Jack George, Pete Muller and Harvey White and other Nike bosses were all present. They were all talking about redefining the entire sneaker industry around me. Strasser talked the most, he was tall, energetic, articulate, and ambitious; but I still had my doubts. The terms of the contract they proposed were: provide me with $250,000 per year for bonuses, annuities and royalties. The contract period is 5 years. This is a huge deal, but full of risks, because no one in Nike has sports. Any experience with shoes.

President Strasser finally advised: "Think about it for a while, and then tell us your thoughts." I thought to myself: "Okay, think about it, and I will eventually sign with Adidas."

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I have dealt with Adidas before. At North Carolina, we wore Adidas shoes for games. But now when I want to further cooperate with them, I feel an inexplicable frustration. After several conversations with the company boss, I felt extremely uncomfortable and knew this was not a good start.

Although my heart is still thinking about Adidas, the problem is that they have never put forward specific conditions for cooperation. It seems they don't want to try their luck in the American basketball market because they are not willing to take risks. However, making this decision is much easier for Nike. Nike's market value in the stock market had dropped to only half of its value - the stock price in 1984 was only about $6. Strasser had no choice but to take a gamble. He had no choice but to put all his bets on changing the entire sneaker market on one person...

It turns out that he is a genius, He succeeded.