Reliable sources have informed me that Seattle Supersonics star Kevin Durant, the 2nd overall selection in the June NBA Draft, is finalizing an endorsement deal with Nike. I have not been able to secure the terms of the deal but am told it is a multi-year deal.

This signing ends a long battle between adidas and Nike that left both companies anxiously awaiting an answer from Durant and his agent Aaron Goodwin in recent weeks. Nike and adidas made their pitches and presentations to Durant in May. adidas had hoped to have Durant on board by last Friday, when the company filmed its latest "It Takes 5ive" commercial in Los Angeles with adidas NBA endorsers Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Gilbert Arenas, Chauncey Billups, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady.

The main holdup with the deal according to my sources was that Aaron Goodwin had promised the Durant family a shoe deal valued at a minimum of $40M. According to my sources, Goodwin would not get paid a commission by the Durant family for any shoe deal less than $40M.

adidas' offer to Durant met that threshold, but Nike's deal did not. Kevin Durant, who has known several of the Nike executives since 8th grade, and has felt a loyalty to the company, wanted to sign with Nike, but his agent Aaron Goodwin desperately tried to get Nike to raise their offer to the $40M.

Was Goodwin successful in securing a $40M from Nike in order to secure a commission for himself? My sources tell me that as of late Friday, Nike was not budging from their final offer, which was south of $40M. Did Nike ultimately meet Goodwin's asking price of $40M? That's what I'll be trying to find out in the coming days.

Again, as I wrote last week, my guess here is that even if the deal was south of $40M, the Goodwin camp will lead people to believe that it was for at least $40M so it looks like Goodwin got paid on the deal.

Regardless, Goodwin has now secured the two largest rookie shoe deals in NBA history. LeBron James in 2003 and now this deal with Kevin Durant.

More on this story as the week progresses and on this weekend's edition of Sports Business Radio.

UPDATE: Aaron Goodwin is on record for the first time about Durant's deal with Nike....first reported by Sports Business Radio on Monday. Goodwin says Nike will pay Durant $60M over 7 years. He also says Durant turned down adidas' offer of $70M over 7 years. My sources tell me Durant's contract with Nike is closer to $40M than $60M, so I think the numbers in the Seattle Times story are inflated. Regardless, it seems as if Mr. Goodwin earned himself a commission on Durant's shoe deal. Goodwin would not have received a commission if Durant's shoe deal had been valued at less than $40M.