Imagine turning down the kind of opportunity that catapulted Michael Jordan into sneaker royalty. A deal that still earns him millions today. Dwyane Wade certainly wasn’t about to let that slip by, creating his own legacy with Li Ning. But did you know that even before Wade landed this partnership, Li Ning had its sights set on someone else? But this former Washington Wizards star declined. Seemingly, for one flex, he makes it to this day.

The ex-NBA star in discussion is Bobby Simmons. Appearing on Out The Mud Podcast, Simmons was asked about the kind of relationship he had with Jordan. “I was a brand Jordan athlete my entire career…” he proudly replied. “Li Ning tried to get me. Before Li Ning was what it is now… Out then… I ain’t know what the hell it was. So I’m not wearing that…” he added.

Considering that Dwyane Wade signed with Li Ning in 2012 and Simmons retired the very same season, it’s safe to assume that the $5.63B worth brand reached out to the ex-Wizards star even before they did Wade. The only difference? The Flash was fast enough to grab onto the opportunity. And he accepted the $10 million deal with Li Ning in 2012 despite the fact that he, too, was a Jordan athlete at the time.

But unlike Simmons, Wade saw something in the opportunity with Li Ning that others might have missed.

The Miami Heat icon wasn’t content with just endorsing products under Michael Jordan’s Nike-owned brand. He had bigger dreams. “I wanted to win in the shoe selling; I wanted to win in the apparel that I was selling,” he explained during a recent interview with Bleacher Report Kicks.

“The brand that allowed me to come in, start my own brand, get into the creative side… start building something than not just be someone who’s endorsing something,” Wade shared. The 3x NBA champ envisioned a partnership where his creativity could flourish, and Li Ning offered him that platform.

However, not many believed in his move to leave Michael Jordan’s Nike-owned brand for a Chinese company.

A closer look at how Dwyane Wade has beaten criticism against his Li Ning move

When Dwyane Wade announced his partnership with Chinese brand Li Ning in 2012, critics were quick to pounce. Even Bleacher Report mocked the move, questioning, “What’s so revolutionary about signing up with the same company Shaq worked with? And not even awesome Shaq, but broken-down, ring-chasing Shaq?”

It seemed like an odd choice for a player of Wade’s caliber. But here’s the thing—The Flash knew exactly what he was doing. That $10 million deal? It evolved into a lifetime partnership, placing the 3x NBA champ in the elite company of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. Some of the few athletes to have a lifetime deal with a sneaker brand.

And as mentioned earlier, it was never just about the money. Together, Wade and Li Ning launched Way of Wade, a brand that didn’t just sell sneakers and apparel but symbolized his influence worldwide. On top of that, their collaboration fueled Wade’s basketball academy—a lifelong dream of the Heat icon—in Asia. Things the Heat icon might not have been able to achieve had he stuck with Michael Jodan’s Nike-owned brand.

Yes, Dwyane Wade was a much bigger star than Bobby Simmons, but who is to say that he could not have achieved similar success with Li Ning with a strategic business plan?