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Nike looks to tap youngsters with $ multimillion deals
MUMBAI: He is not yet 14 years old but he has signed a deal with Nike that will make him a millionaire.
The lad in question is football striker Freddy Adu. A Reuters report indicates that the deal is worth betwen $1-1.5 mn.
He recently scored a goal for the US under-17 team in a 3-2 friendly international victory over Costa Rica. In its report of Monday’s under-17 match against Costa Rica in Lancaster, California, the US Soccer Federation said Adu’s goal came “after finishing off a beautiful dribbling showcase.”
Adu is said to be focusing on the under-17 FIFA World Youth Championship in Finland in August. After that his next goal is to represent the US at next year’s Olympic Games in Athens.
Adu’s deal however pales next to the one Nike signed with 18 year basketball sensation LeBron James from Ohio. His contract is said to be in the region of $90 million. It is interesting that the 6ft 8in James has yet to play a professional game. He first took to the court for his high-school team in December 1999. While Nike hasn’t bought him outright it has upped the stakes. Only its US$125 million deal with golfer Tiger Woods is ahead.
James will have to prove his mettle season after season in order to continue earning his keep. If, however, he can continously produce magic he will have retired long before touching 30. Nike clearly believes that it has found the next Michael Jordan and is therefore going the whole hog in a manner of speaking.
James has done extremely well for someone who grew up in the company of drugs and drive by shootings.
After finishing high school next month James will start playing in the NBA after being drafted for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
