He is The Chosen One after all. LeBron James’ net worth is at an all-time high for active NBA players. The basketball GOAT is known for a plethora of things outside of the court, but he’s known to be one of the best-paid players in the league.
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James was drafted out of high school as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers for 12 seasons, Miami Heat for 4 seasons, and is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. With such an expansive career, he became the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and ranks fourth in career assists. He also has won four Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four Finals MVP Awards, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, and was named the inaugural NBA Cup MVP.
Helming together neverending brand deals and being a King on the court, so what is LeBron James’ net worth? REad more to find out.
So what exactly is LeBron James’ net worth? According to Forbes, LeBron James’ net worth comes out to a whopping $1.2 billion. He’s the first professional athlete who is active in the NBA to achieve billionaire status. The basketball GOAT has reportedly earned nearly $480 million in pretax salary from stints with the Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
When he was just starting out as a rookie, LeBron signed a 4-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers worth $18,788,540 meaning his annual salary was $4,697,135. He resigned with the Cavs and his contract renewal exponentially grew to a four-year contract of $60,380,987 with an average salary of $15,095,247. LeBron also had a four year stint with the Miami Heat and signed a contract worth $110.1 million. His last contract with the Cleveland team when he was traded back in 2016 was worth $99,857,127 for three years or an average salary of $33,285,709.
In 2018, he transferred to the Los Angeles Lakers with $153,312,846 guaranteed for four years, and an average annual salary of $38,328,212. In 2022, LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension through the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. So even with that extension, it’s nearly ten times as much as his rookie salary.
LeBron is a part-owner of Liverpool FC. His partnership with Liverpool began in 2011 and it grew out of his dealings with Fenway Sports Group (FSG). His share is worth $32 million according to ESPN.
“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’s also looking to own a team when he gets the chance. In December 2023, he joked that he should bring over a franchise to Las Vegas. “I would love to bring a team here at some point, that would be amazing,” he said in October 2022 after playing a preseason game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “It’s the best fan base in the world and I would love to bring a team here.”
If you’ve seen LeBron on your TV during an ad, that’s a clear signifier that he’s the most sought-after athlete regarding endorsements. He’s signed deals with Nike, McDonald’s, Beats Electronics, Sprite, Upper Deck, State Farm Insurance, Audemars Piguet, Dunkin’ Donuts, Samsung, Kia, Verizon, Intel, and Lobos 1707.
LeBron even signed a deal with Blaze Pizza when it was still a startup. Currently, he owns more than 40 stores and is reported to have an equity stake of $35–40 million.
LeBron James made the LeBron James Foundation based in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. In 2017, the foundation opened the I Promise Elementary School, which helps retain elementary school students and is LeBron’s biggest accomplisment. “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 when it opened. “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.”
Though he’s had such a lengthy and successful basketball career, he hinted at retirement in the near future. “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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