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Endorsements NBA Players

D. Wade Will See The Money

But has been very undervalued by many companies in the past. It's all in the shoeTake for instance the deal that he signed with Converse straight out of Marquette [Converse and Dwayne Wade]…come on Sports Business Radio…learn how to spell Dwyane! Anyway, Wade is only making $400,000 per year (only…ha) from his contract with Converse, which is now owned by Nike. The reason that $400,000 looks low is that Wade’s figure from Converse is worth only 3% of LeBron James’s deal yearly.

According to Darren (sweet name) Rovell of ESPN.com, 20,000+ Dwyane Wade jerseys have been sold in the last month [Wade and See]. He will also be on the next Wheaties box with Shaq daddy.

Besides Converse, what else is going on in Wade’s World outside of Wade County? Well Wade has been on the cover of the EA Sports NBA Live 2006 video game, he has been locked up by P. Diddy’s fashion line, Sean Jean, and happens to be listed as one of People’s 50 most beautiful people. But overall, the true endorsements that Wade is being paid money for is a slim list. Having such a small list of people to be “owned by” at an early age may have been a very smart move. Wade has had time to grow into a superstar athlete while the media paid too much attention to other players from his draft class such as Carmello Anthony (also a great player).

Wade and his agent were worried about overexposure and has wanted to make sure that his brand (his name) stays strong. I feel that this was an excellent move. D. Wade has joked, “I’ve been everywhere, so hopefully people don’t get tired of me yet. Because I’ve still got some more stuff to come out.” Well, son, you are now an NBA Finals MVP and you have led your team to an NBA Championship. Maybe now, we will start to see you break out of your shell and obtain some top dollar endorsements.

[tags]wade, dwyane wade, miami, miami heat, heat, endorsements, nba, nba finals, nba finals mvp[/tags]

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

2 replies on “D. Wade Will See The Money”

D.Wade is my favorite basketball player!I have followed him since he was drafted into the NBA and I would like to see more Wade endorsements but I also agree that it is smart not to overdue it.Im sick of hearing about lebron james and all the hype surrounding him,it gets old..plus Wade is underrated,and in my opinion,is possibly the best player in the NBA.

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