LeBron James made history by becoming the first active NBA player to join the billionaire club. With his enormous wealth surpassing $1 billion, the basketball icon is a true legend with four NBA titles, 18 NBA All-Star appearances, and three Olympic medals to his name. The superstar was recently seen posing at the premiere of the film “Hustle” on June 1 in Los Angeles.
According to a recent report from Forbes, LeBron James has joined the elite group of billionaires after accumulating over $121 million in earnings this year. This new achievement further solidifies his nickname “King James” as he continues to dominate both on and off the basketball court. While Michael Jordan is considered one of the best players in NBA history, he didn’t reach billionaire status until after retiring. His current net worth is estimated at $1.7 billion, down from $2.1 billion last year due to various investments and endorsements. The majority of James’ earnings come from his business ventures and endorsements, including partnerships with Nike, Walmart, Beats by Dre, and Blaze Pizza. When he first began his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, he signed a four-year contract worth $18.8 million, which tripled when he re-signed with the team in 2007.
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In 2018, the Los Angeles Lakers made a record-breaking deal with LeBron James, paying him a staggering $153 million. And just recently, James has signed another contract with the Lakers amounting to $85.7 million for two more years with a base salary of nearly $44.5 million.
However, James doesn’t just keep his wealth to himself. He established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004, aimed at improving the lives of children in his hometown, Akron, Ohio.
The foundation collaborated with Akron Public Schools and launched the I PROMISE School in 2018, which aims to support at-risk students and their families in Akron.