LeBron James
Overview
- Source of Wealth
- Basketball
- Industry
- Sports
- Residence
- Los Angeles, California
- Organization
- Athlete at NBA
- Marital Status
- Married
- Children
- 3
Biography
LeBron James is the first active NBA player to become a billionaire.
Born to a 16-year-old single mother, he lived with an assortment of family members, friends and neighbors, plus his youth football coach, before being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.
James has since gone on to earn upwards of $500 million in pretax salary from stints with the Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
He has raked in more than $1 billion (pretax) off the court, according to Forbes estimates, from his business ventures and endorsement deals with brands including Nike.
Key to his billionaire status: James has been more than a pitchman, taking equity in brands he works with, including Beats by Dre.
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.
About
James has publicly dreamed about one day owning an NBA team. As an investor in Fenway Sports Group, he already owns stakes in pro baseball, soccer and hockey teams.
In 2021, James sold a minority stake in his movie and TV production business, the SpringHill Company, to a handful of investors at a $725 million valuation.