Hitting milestones is nothing new for LeBron James, but the Lakers star just reached one off it. On Thursday LeBron became the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, according to Forbes, after he was given the remainder of his 2021-22 salary from the Lakers.
LeBron James becomes first active NBA player to become a billionaire
It’s good to be the king.
Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
James is one of three all-time NBA players to hit the billionaire mark, along with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant — both of whom reached the figure following their retirement. While a large portion of James’ wealth came from actually playing ($387M) the majority of his wealth came off the court, through his various endorsement and business deals.
The lifetime deal with Nike he signed in 2015 pays LeBron $32M annually, and will be worth over $1B on its own by the time everything is said and done. In addition “SpringHill Entertainment,” which he owns with Maverick Carter is worth $300M. Significant investments in both the Fenway Sports Group and Blaze Pizza round out the total net worth of the NBA star.
While LeBron stands alone in the NBA, he’s by no means the first active athlete to reach a net worth of $1B regardless of sport. Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods and Floyd Mayweather are among athletes to become billionaires while playing — and we can add one surprising name to the list. Anna Kasprzak, a decorated Danish dressage competitor who has appeared in multiple olympics is considered one of the wealthiest athletes in the world, however her fortune came from being one of the owners of the footwear and apparel brand ECCO.
It’s unclear if any other active NBA players could hit the billionaire mark. The two with the greatest potential right now are Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo due to their contracts and business dealings away from the court.
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