"Thank you for leaving $200 million": Why Tracy McGrady thanked Kobe Bryant for his $100 million Adidas deal

During the 2000s, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady were two of the top stars in the NBA. Because of this, one's decision on an endorsement deal meant a big payday for the other.

Back in 2003, Kobe Bryant had a big decision to make. He had the choice to either sign with Nike, or be a feature athlete for Adidas. In the end, the LA Lakers star followed in Michael Jordan's footsteps and joined the flagship company.

Because Kobe opted for Nike, Adidas had to pivot to find another star. They ended up going with McGrady. During an interview with "Slam" magazine, he opened up on how he thanked Kobe for allowing him to ink a $100 million endorsement deal.

“Kobe was about to sign a $200M deal with Adidas. Who was next in line? I was like, Kob, thank you, brother.. I’m glad you turned down that $200M because you left me a $100M, bro!”

McGrady played in the NBA for 16 years and was a seven-time All-Star and two-time scoring champ. He was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

Did Kobe Bryant make the right move signing with Nike?

Tracy McGrady is going to believe that Kobe Bryant made the right move signing with Nike, but so should the LA Lakers star. Similar to the likes of LeBron James and Michael Jordan, he had a long run of successful signature shoes.

Since signing with the company in 2003, Kobe has released 22 of his own shoe. This success led to him earning big money with Nike as a signautre athlete.

According to a recent breakdown of his net worth, Kobe made about $10 million annually during his early years with Nike. However, by the end, he was earning close to $25 million.

In the past, Nike has signed lifetime deals with some of their top endorsement athletes. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is the latest to get in on this type of deal. That being said, Kobe did not make the cut.

Kobe's time with Nike came to an end in 2021, a year after his tragic death. Vanessa Bryant tried to work out an extension, but the two sides never ended up reaching an agreement.