Nike Says Chris Webber Is No Saint
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WASHINGTON Bullets basketball star Chris Webber isn't the saintly soul he seems to be, says a scorned Nike. Webber won plaudits galore recently by ending his lush, two-year-old deal with Nike over the shoe company's prices. He griped that the $140 Webber-endorsed Air Max CW sneaker, the market's costliest, was too much for inner-city kids.
Nike, which feels few have sought its side, says the real issue was Webber didn't want to do marketing chores, such as making basketball-camp appearances. Shoe prices "didn't even come up" during Webber's contract renewal negotiations, says Nike spokesman Erin Patton. Nike won't say how much it paid Webber, who won't comment.