THERE’s not much left to conquer for LeBron James after the Los Angeles Lakers All-Star broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s elusive scoring record.
The four-time NBA champion’s triumphs stretch beyond the hardwood and include many successful business ventures that have secured him a spot in the billionaire’s club.
LeBron James’ NBA earnings and sponsorship deals have made the Los Angeles Lakers a billionaireCredit: Getty
4The NBA icon has a whole list of endorsement dealsCredit: Sprite
By the end of the 2022-23 season, James will have earned $431,859,107 in career salary.
That should amount to over $33,600 per bucket the Ohio native received while playing for the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat in his 20-year NBA career.
But combined with his sponsorship contracts, the four-time NBA MVP’s actual yearly income is estimated to be well over $100million.
Forbes named James the second-highest-paid athlete in 2022 with his off-the-field earnings reaching $80million thanks to deals with brands like Nike, AT&T, PepsiCo, and Walmart.
The Lakers forward’s partnership with Nike started in 2003, the year the Cavaliers drafted him with the No. 1 pick.
He rejected offers from Reebok and Adidas, seeing the Oregon-based sports apparel manufacturer as a better match for his future endeavors.
Some 12 years later, James penned a lifetime deal with Nike that pays him tens of millions of dollars alone.
The NBA superstar’s business acumen has shown in many of his investment decisions.
James has acquired equity in several companies he’s partnered with, including Blaze Pizza, Lyft, and gym equipment manufacturer Tonal.
He’s also shrewdly operated his business ventures to maximize the profit of other endeavors.
His SpringHill media company co-produced Space Jam: A New Legacy, the 2021 Hollywood blockbuster James starred in.
And last year, the forward’s co-partners from Fenway Sports Group were among the investors that bought “a significant minority stake” in SpringHill, valued at about $725million.
Over the last 12 months, James has struck partnerships with a cryptocurrency exchange platform, carbon-neutral food producer, and cycling manufacturer.
He also continues investing in sports, most recently purchasing a Major League Pickleball team alongside fellow NBA stars Draymond Green and Kevin Love.
And the basketball icon has been vocal about his plans to own an NBA franchise one day, ideally in Las Vegas.
James might be nearing a basketball retirement, but his humongous business empire is only going to grow.
LeBron James in a Nike commercialCredit: Nike
4And the superstar also promotes AT&TCredit: AT&T
