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MANILA, PHILIPPINES – AUGUST 20: LeBron James arrives at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on August 20, 2015 in Manila, Philippines. LeBron attends mini jam fest in Manila during his stop in the Philippines as part of a Nike-sponsored tour. Mark Cristino / Barcroft Media via Getty Images
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LeBron James

has the greatest squad of all time

Clinton Yates @clintonyates

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    2:02 PMA million dollars isn’t cool, we learned in 2010. A billion dollars is cool. You know what’s cooler than a billion dollars? More than a billion dollars, and apparently, that’s what Nike’s investing in LeBron James. That detail was revealed in GQ’s interview with Maverick Carter, the man who pulls the strings in the King’s empire.

    Back when news broke that Nike signed a lifetime endorsement contract with James, it was the confirmation of the ultimate squad flex that was LeBron deciding that his boys were a better business decision going forward than the establishment. But let’s think about this. Is it possible that a billion-dollar deal is in fact, a bargain?

    Think about it. According to many sites, the Akron native’s net worth is $300M. If a billion is a thousand millions, and the company is going so far as to endorse him for the rest of his life, then getting to a billion will not be difficult once a fully constructed lifestyle brand is established. Of course, this is why it’s smart for both sides. Nobody says no to a billion dollars, ever. And it only really makes sense for Nike if they can make a billion off of it, as well.

    This might be one for the squad at FiveThirtyEight. Stay tuned.

    Clinton Yates is a tastemaker at Andscape. He likes rap, rock, reggae, R&B and remixes — in that order.