re: Nike deal with Kobe, Bryant family, falls through

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In five years, Kobe Bryant will be an afterthought.

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When I was a kid, everyone idolized Dr. J. We later found out that he was Shaq's favorite player growing up. I believe Magic and Bird signed with Converse because of Dr. J.

After Dr. J retired, he was the main spokesman for Converse. Sure, the had Magic and Bird doing commercials, but it was Dr. J who went around trying to get players to sign up with Converse. As I recall, I believe I remember reading in the Reveille how Dr. J was on campus to pitch Shaq on Converse when Shaq had declared for the NBA.

However, by that time, Dr. J was basically an afterthought. Everything had become Air Jordan and Nike started to dominate the sneaker market because of Air Jordans. And, then Jordan became the greatest player in NBA history winning 6 Championships in 8 years (1.75 years he didn't play). As a result of that legacy and the market dominance Air Jordan's already commanded, he got his own brand and campus on the Nike campus.

NO SHOE will ever compete with Air Jordans. Not LeBrons. Not Kobes. Air Jordan will always be the standard probably long after both we and he are gone.

Dr. J AND Converse are now afterthoughts. If someone would have told you that in the 80's, even five years after Dr. J retired, you would have thought that they were nuts. BUT, that's the cycle of sports athletes and the products they endorse. Jordan is the SOLE exception.