LeBron James opens up about turning down a $10 million USD offer from Reebok in a new Kneading Dough interview. Sitting down with Maverick Carter, James explains why an 18-year-old without the healthiest finances would shut down millions of dollars. “I flew in from Akron, Ohio, from Spring Hill, from the projects … Our rent was like $17 USD a month. And now I’m looking at a $10 million USD check that I can leave with and go back to high school the next day,” James tells Carter. However, James believed if one major company was willing to cut a hefty check, others would be willing to compete. Considering the bidding war that Nike and adidas could ignite with a brand like Reebok, the NBA superstar was looking at something far greater down the line. “Maybe the upfront money isn’t the biggest thing … Let’s start thinking about the back end,” James remarks.
You can check out LeBron James’s entire interview with Maverick Carter for Kneading Dough above. Earlier this month, TIME placed LeBron James on their annual list of “most influential people.”
