Mark D. Smith/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Durant having the opportunity to opt out of his Nike contract created a market for a historic amount of money being thrown around by competing for not only Durant but for what would have been a monumental business accomplishment for Under Armour.

The Baltimore-based company, according to reports, began courting Durant over the summer. Durant, who is from the Baltimore-DC area, would have been the first megastar that Under Armour signed and would have showed not only that it is willing to spend an incredible amount of money (which it did) but also beat Nike at its own game.

Shoe wars have been a part of basketball from the grassroots level to the professional level for decades and Nike has usually come out on top. With the exception of a few stars here and there who sign with other companies, Nike deals usually come to any athlete showing even a bit of potential.

The swoosh is ubiquitous throughout college sports, high school sports and any sport that has earning potential off of any market for attire. In 2007, when Durant was only a year out of high school, they signed him for a deal worth at least $60 million. At the time, according to USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt, another company reportedly offered him more, Durant chose Nike because he preferred the brand.

Together, Under Armour and Nike control 95% of the shoe market. In the past few decades, Nike has wrestled control away from companies like Converse and Reebok and certainly wasn’t about to let one of their big stars go to the company that represents their biggest threat.

While Durant may or may not directly bring in the amount of revenue that Nike spent to keep him (though he might), he does represent the continuation of Nike having the best players in the world: Jordan, LeBron and the reigning MVP.

Durant, who is said to be making as much as $350 million with the deal, responded to the news in characteristic Durant fashion:

Read more about Durant signing with Nike at USATODAY.com/NBA.