Over his career, LeBron James has done so much on the court that his impact on the game, and his place in basketball history, is firmly cemented and places him in the Hall of Fame when his time comes.
But over the last few years, James has expanded his presence off the court across business, social issues and the community. From an investment in Blaze Pizza, to establishing Uninterrupted to his I Promise School, James has made an impact outside of the game that is similarly undeniable.
Now James is being recognized for his overall impact, but it’s not by a non-for-profit or a sports publication.
It’s by his biggest partner, Nike.
Nike, who originally signed James in 2003 for $93 million over seven-years and then signed him to an alleged $1 billion lifetime deal in 2015, has now announced that they will be naming their new Advanced Innovation Team building after the superstar.
“The LeBron James Building” will become the sixth new building at Nike World Headquarters.
“It’s so surreal,” says James in the press release. “It’s been an honor to be a part of such a great company for the last 18 years. And to know that a building with my name will reside on campus — it’s truly an honor, and I feel truly special.”
The building houses scientists, designers, engineers and others whose focus will be on creating and improving products centered around athlete performance. They’ll have among other things, a full-size NBA court, 200 meter endurance track, 100 meter straightaway and artificial turf area in which to conduct their testing.
For the two-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time NBA champion and four-time NBA MVP, the building is another honor for James’ already impressive resume.
