Although the name Spencer Haywood may not ring many bells with our younger readers, the four-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer left a huge mark on the league. The big man was active from 1969 to 1983 and averaged a double-double nearly every time he hit the hardwood with career totals of 19.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. As it turns out, Haywood could have had a major impact on the sneaker industry, too.
In a new story from Click on Detroit, which was first spotted by Sole Collector, Haywood detailed his success in the NBA, struggles with addiction, and more. The craziest part, however, is that Haywood says he was approached by Nike in its early days to promote the brand's sneakers. The Swoosh's offer was simple: $100,000 in cold hard cash, or 10 percent ownership in the company.
Haywood's greedy agent saw dollar signs in the potential commission payout and advised the player to take the $100,000, which he ultimately did, a moment Haywood calls one of the worst decisions of his life. Today, the 10 percent ownership would equate to roughly $8.62 billion. Yeah, let that one sink in for a bit.
