In 2003, I was part of the design team that helped Nike sign LeBron James. Because we were financial underdogs in a fierce bidding war against Adidas and Reebok, we had to develop LeBron’s brand ahead of negotiations. This involved designing footwear, apparel, a new typeface and a retail campaign.

LeBron had been signed days before these photos were taken and was only 18 years old. As a designer in Nike Basketball, my responsibilities included concepting his retail campaign, directing his photo shoots and designing the final typeface and assets. It was an exciting journey, followed by Kobe Bryant’s signing just a month later.