The National Basketball Association (NBA) player, LeBron James, who plays for Los Angeles Lakers becomes the first active player to have a personal fortune of over $1 billion, according to Forbes.
The player has been paid $385 million by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, but his sponsorships, holdings, and businesses have propelled him into the Billionaire boat.
The majority of his fortune, which is more than $900 million, comes from sponsorships and commercial enterprises, along with a lifelong agreement with Nike which earns him millions of dollars per year.
In 2021, the four-time NBA king was the second-highest paid athlete, after Lionel Messi, earning $41.2 million from the Lakers and $80 million from off-court enterprises.
James and Maverick Carter co-founded the production company SpringHill Company, which is worth an estimated $300 million. After a $100 million was raised in 2020, SpringHill, the production company of “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” was assessed at $725 million.
He owns a $90 million investment in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, Liverpool, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. According to Forbes, James possesses $80 million in property investment and $30 million in Blaze Pizza shares.
In 2014, James spoke to Forbes on the possibilities of becoming a billionaire. This is what he had said, “If it happens, it’s my biggest milestone.
“Obviously, I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete…Hip, hip, hooray! Oh, my God, I’m gonna be excited.”