LeBron James may not be playing in the NBA Finals, but he’s still having a good June. According to Forbes, the Lakers star now has an estimated net worth of $ 1 billion, making him the first active NBA player to become a billionaire.
Michael Jordan is the only other billionaire in the NBA, but did not reach that mark until 2014, years after he stopped playing in the NBA.
During his NBA career, James has earned more than $ 385 million in salary from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers. He earned $ 170 million in 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, $ 153 million in his four seasons with the Lakers and $ 64 million in his four seasons with the Heat.
James earned a whopping $ 121.2 last year. He is currently the highest paid active player in the league and also earns an estimated $ 900 million in revenue through support and business deals.
“It’s my biggest milestone,” James told GQ in a 2014 interview about the possibility of being a billionaire someday. “Obviously. I want to maximize my business. And if I get it, if I’m a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip, hooray! Oh, my God, I’ll be excited.”
One of the main reasons the Lakers star has gotten to this point is that he has been smart when it comes to spending his money.
James has a minority stake in Liverpool in the Premier League and has earned $ 90 million during his time as an investor, which dates back to 2011. In addition, James also owns an estimated 1 per cent of Fenway Sports Group , owner of the Boston Red Sox. , Fenway Park and Liverpool.
The Fenway Sports Group also owns half of Roush Fenway Racing and 80 percent of the New England Sports Network. In 2021, the Fenway Sports Group paid $ 900 million to own the Pittsburgh Penguins.
However, not everything is a sport for James. He has also earned about $ 80 million in real estate as he owns three properties worth that amount. In addition, James has also earned $ 30 million from Blaze Pizza, a pizza chain founded in 2012 with more than 300 locations in the United States and Canada.