Before Michael Jordan, Nike Became King Of NBA, Obscure Stars Had Shoe Deals

Michael Jordan is the undisputed king of NBA shoe apparel. He's held that title since he became the face of the league in the early 1990s. The Air Jordan remains the biggest seller despite his retirement more than 20 years ago.

Before the Jordan takeover, the league belonged to Converse. It had players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Isiah Thomas on the roster, but the company was more about depth. It used many of the league's stars for promotion.

Even Bill Laimbeer and Mark Aguirre, who appeared in a Converse ad in 1990 that recently resurfaced on the Internet. Check it out below.

#DBKicksMX Comercial de los Converse Energy Wave Conquest Light con Bill Laimbeer (1990)

Posted by Don Baloncesto on Thursday, July 10, 2025

It was one year before Jordan won his first NBA title, thus beginning the Nike takeover. Converse was eventually sold to Nike in 2003.

HEARTFELT KOBE BRYANT STORY RESURFACES

NBA legend Kobe Bryant influenced many of today's younger players during his career. There are plenty of stories of him playing a role in the development of today's generation, ranging from Paul George to Dwyane Wade to even LeBron James.

What many forget is Bryant's lasting impact even went beyond. Wayne Coffey tells the fantastic story about high school basketball player Amalia Holguin and her relationship with Bryant, who was her coach before his death in 2020. The story is titled "The Last Mamba."

“I don’t think I’d be the player I am today, or have the mindset that I do, if I hadn’t (been coached by Kobe Bryant),” Holguin told Coffey. “I can still hear him saying, ‘Amalia, make sure you are working harder than everybody else. If you take time off, always remember that somebody else is working.’”

Since working with Bryant on the Mamba Academy team, Holguin,17, has become a top NCAA prospect. She is a senior at Sage Hill School in Newport Beach, Calif.

For more on her, check out the full profile here.

She openly talks about the influence Bryant had on her career. Bryant was very active in the girls' basketball world because of his daughter, Gigi, who was a budding star. She was also killed in the tragic helicopter accident.

Hopefully, Holguin can help carry on the Mamba Mentality for years to come.

MORE BACK IN THE DAY HOOPS COVERAGE

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Kobe Bryant once went after a reporter's wardrobe

Michael Jordan once put an NBA great into retirement