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LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan’s return to the NBA is drawing closer, and before officially stepping into his new role as an analyst, he didn’t hesitate to extend a lavish invitation to Luka Doncic—an invitation that not even LeBron James received.
There’s a very logical explanation. When Doncic entered the NBA, LeBron made it clear to Nike that he wanted the young star under his sub-brand with the company. However, Jordan beat him to it and secured the “Wonder Boy” for himself.
Michael Jordan signed Luka Doncic to his ‘Air Jordan’ brand back in 2019, in a five-year deal worth $75 million USD. That partnership was later renewed in 2023 through 2029, and the new Los Angeles Lakers star is reportedly earning $15 million per year under the extended deal.
And it’s not just Doncic. Jordan’s brand also sponsors other NBA stars like Bam Adebayo, Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson, and Rui Hachimura, among others. All of them received Michael Jordan’s exclusive luxury invitation—a perk that LeBron James missed out on, simply because he is not signed with the Air Jordan brand.
Michael Jordan with the athletes he sponsors. (Photo: X / @SneakerNews)
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of ‘Air Jordan’, Michael Jordan invited over 20 sponsored athletes, including Luka Doncic, to Greece. At the luxurious event, he gifted them an exclusive package that included the ‘Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Board Of Greatness” PE’, the ‘Travis Scott x Fragment Design x Air Jordan 1’, and a collection of apparel and accessories.
Doncic at the Air Jordan event. (Photo: X)
This Will Be Michael Jordan’s Salary as an NBA Analyst
When the next NBA season kicks off on Tuesday, October 21, Michael Jordan will once again make headlines in the world’s top basketball league — this time as an analyst and commentator, with an annual salary of $40 million, according to a report by the Instagram account ‘Essentially Sports’.
