Durant banked $14 million overall this season from his endorsements with Nike Air Max Sale, Sprint, BBVA, 2K Sports and others. His Nike pay represented $11 million to $12 million of the total, as Durant’s on-court success triggered incentives driving up the value of his original $60 million Nike deal. Nike sold $175 million of Durant’s signature shoes in 2013 in the U.S. or $95 million at wholesale, according to SportsOneSource. Durant’s payout represented nearly 13% of Nike’s revenue from the shoe. But the previous two years, Nike only sold $35 million at retail (less than $20 million wholesale) and $15 million at retail (less than $10 million wholesale). Durant has been a drain on Nike’s bottom line since he entered the league until now.

Durant’s star is clearly on the rise after leading the league in scoring for a fourth time this season and winning his first MVP trophy. His MVP Award speech was a tour de force that should have put him on the radar of every company that wants to do business with the NBA. Nike doesn’t want to see Durant walk away after it helped make him one of the NBA’s most marketable stars. But Nike would be hard-pressed to sell $400 million worth of Durant’s shoes to justify an annual payout of more than $25 million a year. LeBron James was the NBA’s top seller last season with Nike moving $300 million of his signature shoes. James re-signed with Nike in 2010. If Durant can command more than $25 million a year for his shoe deal, then James should demand $50 million if he is selling twice as many shoes. The drop off after James and Durant is steep with Kobe Bryant third at $50 million in retail sales in the U.S. last year (Kobe is a big seller in China, justifying his hefty Nike pay).

njfootwear.co.uk