Michael Jordan exceeded all four of Nike’s criteria in his rookie year, proving he was an elite star on the rise. When the young Chicago Bulls star signed with the sports giant during his first season in 1984, Nike included four clauses in the Jordan agreement. The 21-year-old ticked all four boxes and showed dominance.
Under their terms, he either had to win Rookie of the Year, average 20 points per game, become an NBA All-Star, or have $4 million in shoe sales within a year.
This was Jordan’s breakout season, and he checked all four boxes in his rookie year. He averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and won the Rookie of the Year award. His stable performance in the regular season also earned him selection to the All-Star team.
As for the final qualifier, Michael Jordan’s meteoric rise in the league also allowed Nike to make $100 million selling his Air Jordan shoes — a huge number compared to the $4 million it made.
Michael Jordan’s stellar rookie season sends Nike shoe sales soaring
Michael Jordan was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA draft, which also included stars who would become iconic players. Hakeem Olajuwon (No. 1), Charles Barkley (No. 5) and John Stockton (No. 16) will all be cornerstones of the teams they play for.
But Jordan’s performance surpassed all players in the same draft. In his debut against the Washington Bullets, he scored 16 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals. He improved on those numbers in Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks with 37 points, four rebounds and five assists.
Ultimately, Jordan led the league in scoring (2,313 points) in the 1984-85 NBA season, making him an NBA All-Star in his debut season and winning the 1985 Rookie of the Year Award.
Nike benefited from this, they made $100 million, far exceeding their expectations for Air Jordan.
In the end, Michael Jordan ended his career as a six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP, and five-time league MVP. During his illustrious career, he was a 14-time All-Star, won Defensive Player of the Year in 1998, and was selected to the All-Defensive team nine times.
This ensured a lasting partnership between Nike and the Chicago Bulls legend that continues to this day.