Referring to himself as "just a kid from Akron" with a story that could be the epitome of the American dream, going from rags to riches, LeBron James stands among the most accomplished athletes in the annals of sports history, and his net worth perfectly reflects that.
Born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, saying that LeBron James had a challenging upbringing is an understatement. His mother, Gloria, was only 16 when he was born, and his father, Anthony McClelland, was not part of his life due to various criminal records. Without a father and Gloria struggling to find consistent work, they continuously moved from house to house. Recognizing that her son needed a more stable environment, Gloria allowed him to live with Frank Walker's family, a local youth football coach who introduced LeBron to basketball at nine.
Fast-forward to 2024, and he boasts an impressive resume with four NBA championships, four league MVP titles, an astonishing 19 All-Star selections, 2 Olympic gold medals, and recently surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer during the 2022/2023 season.
"Bron Bron," "The Chosen One," "L.B.J." are some of his nicknames. Still, the most popular and widely used is "The King," which could be said not only mirrors his on-court brilliance but also his undisputed status among the wealthiest athletes of all time, reflected in his staggering net worth.
How much is Lebron James worth?
Is LeBron now a billionaire?
According to Forbes, LeBron Raymone James Sr. officially hit the 10-figure mark in 2022 when his net worth hit exactly $1 billion. The outlet estimates that he has earned "upwards of $900 million in income from endorsements and other business ventures."
What are LeBron James' main Sponsors?
AT&T, Beats Electronics, Calm, CRYPTO.com, GMC, Nike, PepsiCo, Sony, Tonal, and most recently Louis Vuitton as brand ambassador.
LeBron James Career Earnings
James has reportedly earned over $430 million in pretax salary from stints with the Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
James has made $479.5 million during his 21-year NBA career. He also signed a two-year, $97 million extension with the Lakers with a payout of $47.6 million for the 2023-2024 season and $51.4 million the following year.
The King led all athletes with $126.9 million in on- and off-court earnings in 2022, per Sportico. He earned $36.9 million from the Lakers and another $90 million from sponsors and other off-court ventures.
In 2023, James ranked fourth on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes — just behind five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, World Cup champion Lionel Messi, and French soccer star Kylian Mbappé — with $119.5 million total earnings.
How much was the LeBron Nike deal?
Lebron James' NBA career started notoriously early at the age of 18. He left St. Vincent-St. Mary High School the pros, and after turning down a great Reebok deal that had the clause to not consult other brands, he withstood the pressure, and Nike signed him to a seven-year, $93 million contract.
Thanks to his on-court marvels and off-the-court appeal, the sponsorship was extremely successful for both parties involved, and in December of 2015, Nike signed him to a lifetime deal.
For a long time, the numbers have been kept secret, but one thing was certain: James' lifetime deal with the Swoosh goes far beyond the standard shoe endorsement, and LeBron's longtime friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, softly confirmed that James inked the deal for north of $1 billion. Let me repeat. North of 1 billion!
Increasing net worth everywhere he goes
Sure, LA has enough star power to attract all sorts of businesses, but a blue-collar city like Cleveland, where he spent most of his career, does not. Unsurprisingly, the franchise sold far more game seats when the point-forward was a member of their team. But James' impact transcended the team itself, with estimates claiming he was worth half a billion to Cleveland's overall economy.
A study led by Harvard professor Daniel Shoag calculated that the LeBron James effect increased employment in food and beverage establishments in the area surrounding Cleveland's home arena — Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — by a staggering 23.5%.
What business does LeBron own?
SpringHill Entertainment
LeBron and his business partner Maverick Carter are the co-founders of production company SpringHill Entertainment. The company has produced movies, documentaries, and television shows. It most recently produced this year's Space Jam: A New Legacy and has overseen projects like Netflix's Top Boy reboot and the ThomaHawk podcast.
Blaze Pizza
This one proves his business acumen. Way back in 2012, despite being under contract by McDonald's, LeBron invested in a pizza startup called Blaze Pizza. LeBron was so convinced about this business venture that he turned down a $15 million extension offer from McDonald's in 2017 to put all his energy into Blaze Pizza.
Fast-forward to now, he owns 21 Blaze pizza franchises, and the company is one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains ever. LeBron's equity stake at the company's latest valuation is worth $40 million.
No, he doesn't own Instagram, but considering that a sponsored post on his IG channel, boasting a crazy 156 million followers, costs approximately half a million, I guess another business he has is on IG.
Fenway Sports Group
While LeBron's ultimate aspiration is to possess an NBA team, he's currently content with owning a football team. In 2011, he entered into an agreement to acquire a 2% ownership stake in Liverpool F.C. from the majority owners, Fenway Sports Group (also proprietors of the Red Sox).
Since then, Liverpool has triumphed in the UEFA Champions League and has seen its valuation soar to $2 billion. LeBron's stake is now valued at a minimum of $40 million.
In addition, in 2021, James became a partner with the Fenway Sports Group, expanding his ownership to include the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, RFK Racing, and, of course, Liverpool F.C.
LeBron James Family Foundation
His LeBron James Family Foundation opened its first elementary school in 2018 and has pledged to spend more than $40 million to send kids to college. It also provides breakfast for all the students and the possibility to have lunch and stay after school to finish homework.
How does LeBron spend his money?
$1.5 Million for 'personal use'
Arguably, his most intelligent investment to date is how much he spends to keep his body in the best shape possible. This allowed him to extend his career and prime in ways never seen before in the sport and, ultimately, make more money with it. He famously uses cryotherapy, hyperbaric chambers, and NormaTec leg boots. He has personal chefs, trainers, and a strict routine and diet.
Luxury Watch Collection
Keeping track of time has never been more luxurious. Lebron's watch collection includes a Gold Rolex Day-Date II, which he wore to the Cavs Championship parade in 2016, a special edition 18-carat rose gold Royal Oak, and another 18-carat white gold set with 608 diamonds worth roughly $178,800. A blue and white quartz TPT Richard Mille 11-03 '($550,000). A Patek Philippe Grand Complications Celestial 6102R.
And the list goes on!
Luxury Cars
The question is not how many cars does a person need, but how many cars you can have and where do you keep them all? Lebron owns a Bentley Continental GT worth $218400. A 2010 Chevy Camaro SS, a. Dodge Challenger SRT, a Ferrari 599, a Ferrari F430 Spider, a Ferrari 458 Spider, a Kia K900, a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster, a Mercedes-Benz Maybach 57S, 2018 Maybach S650, a Porsche 911 Turbo S, a Rolls Royce Phantom, and a 1975 Chevy Impala.
And since happiness is real only when shared, it's worth noting he doesn't let his closest ones drive anything shabby by gifting a Porsche to his mother and a white Ferrari Testarossa to his wife Savannah.
Real Estate aka Mansions
What's the fun of being worth a billion dollars if you don't enjoy a lavish lifestyle? LeBron James' most expensive purchase as of 2023 is a mansion worth $54 million. The estate includes six bedrooms, an infinity pool, an indoor fitness gym, a man cave, a golf simulator, and a wine cellar, and of course, a basketball court.
The mansion lifestyle didn't start only now for King James. During his time with the Miami Heats, the James family resided in a mansion with a picturesque view of Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove worth 9 million dollars.
In November 2015, LeBron acquired a spacious 9,350-square-foot mansion in LA's Brentwood neighborhood for $21 million, setting a record for the highest home price in the area.
Come September 2020, LeBron purchased a $36.8 million mansion in Beverly Hills. But 2023, he decided to demolish this property to construct his dream home on the site.
Back in his native Ohio, LeBron owns one of the most expensive residences in the Cleveland area, Bath Township. Ohio tax authorities appraised this custom-built home at $9.5 million, featuring 20 rooms within its expansive 30,000 square feet of living space.
But it would be too easy now to show you the shiny marbles and luxury design of his mansions. To truly understand the greatness of Lebron James and put his net worth into context, it's important to remember where it all started.
Next up, after checking the evolution of NBA tunnel fits, how does Pharrell Williams, Travis Scott and Jay-Z make their money?
