Net Worth: $1 Billion
What Is LeBron James’ Net Worth?
headlinephotos / Depositphotos.comLebron James’ net worth is estimated to be $1 billion. James is considered among the greatest basketball players of all time and much of his wealth derives from his NBA salary and product endorsements. James is also an entrepreneur who has put his NBA earnings to good use with various lucrative ventures.
As one of the richest NBA players in the world, James continues to build a massive fortune that will continue to grow thanks to a lifetime deal with Nike, and various other money-making ventures.
Let’s take a close look at Lebron James’ net worth and how he’s continuing to grow his already massive $1 billion fortune.
Lebron James’ $1 Billion Nike Deal
ChinaImages / Depositphotos.comWay back in May 2003, the team at Nike signed Lebron James to a seven-year contract worth $87 million. Lebron chose to work with Nike even after Reebok offered him $115 million. Adidas also tried to score the superstar with a lower $60 million offer.
Fast forward to 2015 and it was revealed that Lebron James’ net worth was going to increase by $1 billion. That’s the price Nike agreed to pay James for a lifetime contract.
Nike is making great money from Lebron James’ line of products but it’s nowhere near what Michael Jordan’s line brings in. According to Essentially Sports, “The LeBron brand helps Nike earn approximately just 11% of what Nike makes from the Air Jordans.”
Still, that’s a significant amount of money with Lebron James’ products bringing in $347,222 in revenue for Nike every five hours.
Michael Jordan’s net worth is likely to continue growing at a much faster rate than Lebron James’, thanks in large part to Jordan’s partial ownership of the brand.
Here’s a video of Lebron James talking about his lifetime deal with Nike.
Lebron James’ NBA Salary Has Earned Him Millions
headlinephotos / Depositphotos.comLebron James’ net worth has grown by $479.5 million during his 21-year NBA career, per Spotrac.
While he’s pushing 40 years old, James is still very much a threat in the NBA and signed a two-year, $97 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers that will pay him $47.6 million and $51.4 million for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons.
| YEAR | TOTAL CASH |
|---|---|
| 2003-04 | $4,018,290 |
| 2004-05 | $4,320,360 |
| 2005-06 | $4,621,800 |
| 2006-07 | $5,828,090 |
| 2007-08 | $13,041,250 |
| 2008-09 | $14,410,581 |
| 2009-10 | $15,779,912 |
| 2010-11 | $14,500,000 |
| 2011-12 | $12,896,159 |
| 2012-13 | $17,545,000 |
| 2013-14 | $19,067,500 |
| 2014-15 | $20,644,400 |
| 2015-16 | $22,970,500 |
| 2016-17 | $30,963,450 |
| 2017-18 | $33,285,709 |
| 2018-19 | $35,654,150 |
| 2019-20* | $37,436,858 |
| 2020-21 | $39,219,566 |
| 2021-22 | $41,180,544 |
| 2022-23 | $44,474,988 |
| 2023-24 | $47,607,350 |
| Est. Earnings (21 seasons) | $479,466,457 |
Once his newest extension has been completed, Lebron James’ NBA salary will total a mind-boggling $532 million, according to ESPN.
Product Endorsements Are Big Business For Lebron James
imagepressagency / Depositphotos.comIn 2022 Sportico noted that Lebron James earned $90 million from sponsors and other off-court ventures, if even half of that money came from sponsorships, it would mean an annual return of more than $45 million before management fees, taxes, and other expenses.
Lebron James’ various brand endorsements from well-known companies include the likes of AT&T, Walmart, Intel, and Kia, among many others.
Here’s James’ 2022 commercial for AT&T in which he promotes the iPhone 14 Pro.
Lebron James Bought 10% Of Blaze Pizza
mahmoodd79 / Depositphotos.comIn 2012 Lebron James invested $1 million in Blaze Pizza, his stake at the time gave him a 10% stake in the fast-growing franchise with 19 locations to his name.
Blaze quickly grew its revenue from $800,000 in 20212 to $400 million by 2019.
According to Wolf of Franchises, James walked away from a $15 million McDonald’s deal to invest in Blaze. His state in the company is now estimated to be in the vicinity of $25 million to $35 million and growing.
It’s not clear at this time if Lebron has continued to maintain a 10% stake in the company through new ownership. Still, his earnings would be at least 25x his initial investment at this point.
Lebron James Continues To Invest In Fenway Sports Group
ProShooter / Depositphotos.comLeBron James is a lifetime supporter and investor in the Fenway Sports Group which controls the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liverpool FC.
Lebron and his business partner received a 1% stake in the Fenway Sports Group in 2012. At the time of the deal, the Red Sox were worth $1.3 billion and the ball club is now worth $5.07 billion. The organization also expanded since the initial deal, adding the Penguins for $900 million while looking at NBA teams to invest in over the horizon.
The exact terms of the deal are not known but much like Nike, Lebrong James signed a lifetime deal with the group, likely providing him with an even more lucrative deal.
Lebron James’ Net Worth Is Also Growing From Instagram Posts
ChinaImages / Depositphotos.comWhen you’re as famous as Lebron James you are likely to amass a massive social media following. James has over 159 million followers and The Hustle estimates that he earns around $428,000 per sponsored post.
Even if James only posts a few times a year for sponsorship deals, that’s around $1 million he would earn for a few simple social media posts.
Lebron James’ net worth is already more than double that of Shaq’s net worth, and his earnings continue to grow by upwards of $100 million per year. Between his lifetime Nike deal, his investment in Blaze pizza, and various other product endorsements, business ventures, and new deals that are likely to follow, we expect his $1 billion fortune to just be the start.
