Reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant will stay with Nike after receiving a deal that is similar to to Under Armour’s monstrous offer, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein and Darren Rovell.
Under Armour reportedly offered Durant a deal that was worth between $265 and $285 million over 10 years. Durant’s seven-year, $60-million deal with Nike was about to expire and Under Armour believed they could swoop in and sign the Oklahoma City Thunder star.
Under Armour is located in Baltimore which is in Durant’s home state of Maryland.
The ESPN report indicates that Durant should make more — in base and royalties — with Nike than he will with the Thunder over the next two years.
There’s been rampant speculation that Durant could follow LeBron James and decide to play for his home team when he hits free agency in 2016. The Washington Wizards would be the closest team to where he grew up, and the Under Armour deal would have positioned Durant closer to his local roots.
The Wizards increased speculation when they hired Durant’s former high school coach, David Adkins, as a player development assistant.
You can breathe now, Thunder fans.
