How Nike's 'Pressure' Ad Was Built Around LeBron James's 2003 NBA Debut

Nike built a commercial around LeBron James's NBA debut, filming it at Arco Arena in Sacramento so it would run during and around his first game on that same floor on Oct. 29, 2003, according to ESPN. It was the night James first wore the Zoom Generation I in a regular-season game.

How the ad was made

Early in training camp, James and Nike secured permission from the Cavaliers to fly him to Sacramento by private jet for the shoot, ESPN reported. The aim was to make the spot look as authentic as possible once it aired alongside the real game.

Three Cleveland teammates made the trip: Carlos Boozer, DeSagana Diop and Dajuan Wagner. Kings point guard Mike Bibby took part in the shoot. Other cameos included Damon Wayans, Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, and George Gervin, according to ABC News, which carried the same ESPN story.

Kings broadcaster Jerry Reynolds, who also appeared in the ad, told ESPN: "We were pretty surprised by it, we'd never seen anything like it."

What "Pressure" showed

The spot was titled "Pressure" and depicted the first possession of James's NBA career, according to Basketball Network. In it, James appears to freeze while the crowd goes silent and the players look stunned. He then smiles, revealing the moment as a joke, per ESPN.

The available sources describe the ad as running during and around the game. None of the primary sources reviewed documents a specific first airing date.

The debut itself

James finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals on 60 percent shooting, and Sacramento won 106-92, according to NBA.com. SLAM, via a Finish Line blog, noted that 12 of those points came in the first quarter.

ESPN put the audience at nearly three million viewers. Basketball Network lists 2.49 million on ESPN.

The Nike deal behind the campaign

Nike signed James on the eve of the 2003 NBA lottery. ESPN reported in 2015 that the seven-year, $90 million agreement was the largest athlete deal in Nike history at the time. The AP also reported the figure, as relayed by Yahoo Sports. Nike has not confirmed the amount in the sources reviewed, so $90 million is best treated as a reported number. It was a record for Nike, not necessarily for the industry.

The relationship grew from there. In December 2015, Nike gave James a lifetime deal. The company said in a statement to ESPN: "We can confirm that we have agreed to a lifetime relationship with LeBron." Nike did not disclose the terms.