We all see LeBron James on the basketball court and know he is a great athlete, but did you know he is also a great businessman? James has built up a huge fortune during his career, more than most professional athletes earn. He is even one of the biggest earners in the NBA. He is a brief overview of how much he earns and how he does it.
LeBron James signed a four year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers
James is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and his stunning career reflects that. He won four NBA Most Valuable Player awards, three NBA Finals MVP Awards and two Olympic gold medals.
After having played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. He agreed to a four-year contract worth $ 154 million. Although this is a huge amount of money, it is only a part of its total income.
One of the benefits of a highly respected NBA player is all the approval recommendations that James offers you, and James has certainly benefited.
His $ 154 million dollar contract is a nice piece of money, but according to sports expert Darren Rovell, about 65 percent of James’ income comes from notes. That is an even nicer chunk of cash.
Nike sneakers
A large part of James’ income comes from his deal with Nike to produce the distinctive LeBron sneakers. The highly anticipated shoes, like most sneakers approved by athletes, sell like hotcakes for Nike. This means that the company is willing to pay a large sum to use the LeBron name. According to Forbes, James takes $ 32 million a year from the sneakers.
At the end of 2015, James signed a lifelong deal with Nike worth more than a billion dollars. According to James’ business partner, Maverick Carter, this is the biggest deal in Nike’s history. But because it’s a lifetime deal for such a huge amount, it means that James must continue to promote their product even after retirement.
James contributes to increase sales by promoting the sneakers on his social media accounts. But many of the sales are simple because of the celebrity-like status of James. NBA players in particular have a major influence on fashion and pop culture. They are a natural choice for Nike to work with.
What is LeBron James’ total net worth?
James’ career earnings are more than $ 1 billion dollars. With the Nike deal alone, James earns more than a billion during his lifetime, but he also has his NBA salary, other recommendations, and an upcoming career in Hollywood.
However, $ 1 billion is what James will earn throughout his career. That doesn’t mean he has so much now. Currently, James’ assets are estimated at $ 440 to $ 450 million dollars.
There is a large number of revenue streams that contribute to that $ 450 capital. In addition to his NBA salary and the Nike deal, James is also an investor. He contributed a lot to Blaze Pizza when it just started.
Now it is the second fastest growing pizza chain in the US and James owns much of the stock, now worth more than $ 35 million, and 17 of his franchises.
When Apple agreed to buy Beats Music, James earned a reported $ 30 million from the deal. It is clear that James has his hand in different cash pots. But becoming a billionaire is always something James dreams of.
When GQ asked him to become a billionaire in 2014, he said: ‘If it happens. It is my biggest milestone. Apparently. I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion dollar athlete, ho. Hip Hip, hooray! Oh, my God, I’ll be excited. “
