After all, he is the chosen one. LeBron James’ net worth is the highest of any active NBA player in history. The GOAT of basketball is known for his prolific accomplishments off the court, but he is also considered one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft after graduating from high school. He played 12 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, four seasons with the Miami Heat, and currently plays with the Los Angeles Lakers. Such an extensive career made him the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and ranked fourth in career assists. He also won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award four times, the Finals MVP Award four times, the All-Star Game MVP Award three times, and was named NBA Cup MVP for the first time.
If LeBron James had endless brand deals and was the king on the court, what would his net worth be? Read on to find out.
LeBron James Net Worth-
What exactly is LeBron James’s net worth? According to Forbes, LeBron James’s net worth is a whopping $1.2 billion. He is the first professional athlete to play in the NBA and achieve billionaire status. Basketball’s GOAT is said to have earned nearly $480 million in pre-tax salary through stints with the Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James’ Lakers contract is 10 times the value of his rookie contract with the Cavaliers
When he was just starting out as a rookie, LeBron signed a four-year contract worth $18,788,540 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. That means his annual salary will be $4,697,135. He resigned from the Cavs with a four-year contract extension for a total of $60,380,987 and an average annual salary of $15,095,247. LeBron also played four years with the Miami Heat, signing a contract worth $110.1 million. His last contract with the Cleveland team when he was traded in 2016 was for three years, totaling $99,857,127, with an average annual salary of $33,285,709.
In 2018, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for four years, $105,312,846 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $38,328,212. In 2022, LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers through the 2024-25 season. So even including that extension, it’s almost 10 times his rookie salary.
LeBron James dabbles in other sports activities as well
LeBron is a partner of Liverpool FC. His partnership with Liverpool began in 2011 and evolved from a deal with Fenway Sports Group (FSG). According to ESPN, his investment is worth $32 million.
“I am thrilled to be working with [FSG founders] John Henry and Tom Werner,” James said when the news was announced. “These guys, like me, have a passion for sports. You can see the drive and commitment they have for their teams. For me, this is about being in business with an organisation that loves sports as much as I do.”
He also wants to own a team if given the chance. In December 2023, he joked that he should bring the franchise to Las Vegas. “I would love to bring a team here at some point, that would be amazing,” he said after a preseason game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in October 2022. “It’s the best fan base in the world and I would love to bring a team here.”
LeBron is also the king of brand deals
If you’ve ever seen LeBron in a TV commercial, it’s a clear sign that he’s the most popular athlete in terms of endorsements. He has contracts with Nike, McDonald’s, Beats Electronics, Sprite, Upper Deck, State Farm Insurance, Audemars Piguet, Dunkin Donuts, Samsung, Kia, Verizon, Intel, and Lobos 1707.
LeBron once signed a deal with Blaze Pizza when it was still a startup. He currently owns more than 40 stores, and his stake is said to be between $35 million and $40 million.
He has also helped hundreds of people with the LeBron James Foundation
LeBron James founded the LeBron James Foundation, based in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. In 2017, the Foundation opened Ai His Promise Elementary School. This helps retain elementary school students and represents LeBron’s greatest accomplishment. “Besides having three kids and marrying my wife, putting my mom in a position where she never has to worry about anything ever again for the rest of her life, this is right up there,” James told reporters at the outset. “Championships, MVPs, I mean points, rebounds and assists, that stuff if whatever. But for me to be able to open up a school and give back to my inner city, so many kids that I know because I was those kids. ”
LeBron may be retiring soon
Despite having such a long and successful career as a basketball player, he has hinted that he will retire soon. “When asked how much longer he wanted to play, he told the press on April 1, 2024, “Not very long. I’m on the other side, obviously, of the hill. So I’m not going to play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure. But not very long. I don’t know what or when that door will close as far as when I retire, but I don’t have much time left.”
“I’m not one of those guys that wants to go out there and shoot 12, 14 or 15 3s per game,” James said. “But I want to be respected, and teams have to play me from the outside. That’s still kind of one thing teams (think) … ‘If we have to give up something, we’d much rather him shoot the ball from the outside.`”
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