Russell Westbrook had one of the greatest individual seasons of all time in the 2016-17 NBA season. Boasting regular season averages of 31.6 PPG, 10.7 RPG, and 10.4 APG; Westbrook became the first NBA player since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season to average a triple double for an entire season. As a result of his performance, Westbrook won the MVP award, and solidified himself as one of the game's top talents in the process. And now, Westbrook can lay claim to yet another major accomplishment; signing the largest contract in Jordan Brand history.
Russell Westbrook and Jordan Brand have agreed to a 10-year contract extension that will make the Oklahoma City Thunder guard the highest paid athlete in the brand's history. Figures have yet to be released officially but consider the following – Westbrook first signed with the brand in 2013, inking a 5-year deal. Last year he made $10 million from his shoe deal. So if one assumes he got a raise AND signed a 10-year deal, it's likely the total value of this deal is over $100 million. Probably closer to $150-200 million.
Since he signed that first deal, he has been made the face of the annual Air Jordan model, though he has yet to have his own signature on court shoe (he does have two off-court models, the Westbrook 0.1 and 0.2).
The Jordan Brand will now begin developing an on-court Westbrook shoe. The brand reportedly wanted to make sure that the 28-year-old superstar would be staying on with JB for the long haul before putting its resources into making a signature on-court sneaker. According to an industry source, the Westbrook shoe will be "unlike anything that Jordan Brand has done before."
(Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Westbrook's new shoe deal also adds another wrinkle to his contract negotiations with the Thunder. The Thunder reportedly offered Westbrook a 5-year, $200 million max contract extension this offseason that would go into effect in the 2018-19 season; but Westbrook has yet to sign the deal. The two parties have until Oct. 16, the day before the regular season starts, to agree to terms. If he doesn't sign the extension, Westbrook could decide to opt out following this season (he has a player option for the 2018-19 season), which would make him an unrestricted free agent.
Westbrook could decide to sign the extension with the Thunder for the same exact amount; even after opting out of his deal. In addition, he could ask for the addition of a no-trade clause, which he wouldn't be able to do if he were to sign an extension.
Of course, Westbrook could also decide to sign a shorter term deal with OKC, à la LeBron James, in order to keep his options open if he ever decided that he wanted to leave for a better situation. His newly inked deal with Jordan Brand would give him the financial security to do so if he were to choose to go that route.
