Michael Jordan is Nike. Nike is Michael Jordan . The most marketable athlete in the history of North American sports has been intertwined with the venerated Swoosh brand ever since he put pen to paper on a five-year, $2.
5-million endorsement deal in 1984. Mike and Nike's relationship eventually birthed the iconic 'Air Jordan' sneakers, a landmark shoe that became a major status symbol in footwear and streetwear culture around the globe. Nike's ascendancy from Oregon-based shoe brand to multi-billion dollar apparel corporation coincided with His Airness rising to the summit of The Association.
By 1992, two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP Jordan had surpassed Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as the undisputed face of the NBA , and was about to take his talents overseas. NBA initially players weren't allowed to participate in the Olympics , but that all changed in 1989 when FIBA removed the rule. So, in 1992, Team USA head coach Chuck Daily assembled an Avengers-esqe squad bursting with NBA talent that was tasked with one simple goal: winning an Olympic gold medal.
Jordan, Magic and Bird were joined by fellow Hall of Famers Charles Barkley , David Robinson, Karl Malone, and Patrick Ewing, among others, who descended on Barcelona, Spain with Beatles-like fanfare and with the mission of putting on a basketball clinic. The star-studded squad was aptly named the Dream Team because of their ethereal talents, and they predictably stomped on every team who dared to step in their way..
