LeBron James is the NBA legend who has won four NBA championships, three Olympic golds and made 18 NBA All-Star games. He is also the first NBA player to reach billionaire status.
Forbes reported Thursday that James, who made just over $121 million in a very lucrative year, has officially become a billionaire. This breakthrough gives King James, a 37-year-old football player, a fitting nickname.
According to a Forbes article, Michael Jordan is the most successful athlete of all time. He is often called the greatest player to ever play the court. Even though he was the greatest player to ever play on the court, he did not break a billion dollars until he retired from the NBA. Jordan now has a net worth of $1.7billion aEUR, down from $2.1billion in 2020. This is due to his endorsements with Nike and Gatorade as well as his investment into the Charlotte Hornets basketball club.
Forbes reports that James’ basketball career has earned him more than $385million, but his business ventures have brought him the most wealth, including endorsements with Nike, Walmart and Beats by Dre.
Spotrac, an online sport finance tracker, reports that James signed a four year $18.8 million contract when he was first drafted in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers. This salary tripled after he left the Cavaliers to sign a four-year contract worth $18.8 million.
James was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers for $153 million in 2018. He was re-signed for two more years for $85.7 million. This is a salary that is just below $44.5 million.
King James does not keep his money for himself. James established the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004 to improve the lives of Akron’s children.
In 2018, the foundation joined Akron Public Schools to open I PROMISE School. This school is geared towards helping Akron’s at-risk students as well as their families.
