LeBron James is not your average honors student. His high school basketball games made national television. His moves are followed all over the Internet. Nike is one of the front runners in signing the high school phenom to a huge shoe deal. Nike wasn't the only company in the hunt. Reebok made a huge bid. And Adidas even put up billboards in James' hometown of Akron to try to woo him. Reebok, which only recently entered the LeBron derby after James declared for the NBA draft, made the first pitch, presenting James and his family with an inventive offer that shocked the James camp. Adidas presented its offer to James in Los Angeles and coupled its pitch with advertising on billboards and buses in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, with messages aimed at LeBron, who wore adidas during most of his high school career. The favorite, Nike, gave a well-rehearsed presentation that company executives had been working on for months. All proposed deals include plans for an extensive shoe and apparel line and, as is customary with such high-profile deals these days, James likely will receive additional royalties on sales of his product above a prescribed threshold. The winner is expected to spend at least $10 million to lock up James, with the time frame of the first contract expected to be between six and eight years, plus options to extend the deal. They see in LeBron James the kind of potential they saw in his hero, the ultimate basketball pitchman, Michael Jordan. For all of the hype, LeBron James is no sure thing. He has never played a pro game. And Nike is betting $90 million that his game is the kind that sells shoes. He's skipping college altogether. All of his success has come in high-school gyms. High school or not, his contract dwarfs Jordan's first sneaker deal, worth just $2.5 million. Shaquille O'Neal made $3 million in his first deal. And golf superstar Tiger Woods, the current endorsement king, mad

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