LeBron James, a Los Angeles Lakers player, businessman and now movie actor, is the first active NBA player to earn $1 billion USD, according to Sportico.
According to Sportico's sports valuation reporter Kurt Badenhausen, the 36-year-old's career earnings, which include salaries and endorsements, currently total just over $1 billion USD. Badenhausen says that James is the "first athlete in a U.S. team sport to hit $1 billion USD, with $330 million USD in playing salary and $700 million USD off the court."
Badenhausen adds that James' off the court earnings include "current endorsement partners AT&T, Beats, Blaze Pizza, GMC, Nike, PepsiCo, Rimowa and Walmart," and most recently, a Fortnite skin through an endorsement with Epic Games.
Badenhausen clarified that there is a "big difference" between earnings and total net worth, noting that Michael Jordan is considered to be a billionaire, while James is not.
"Nike helped MJ get there, but equally important is NBA team values skyrocketing since he took control of Hornets in 2010," Badenhausen tweeted, explaining that Jordan's career earnings now total about $2 billion USD.
Of course, there is a big difference b/n earnings and net worth. MJ is a billionaire--LeBron is not. Nike helped MJ get there, but equally important is NBA team values skyrocketing since he took control of Hornets in 2010.
— Kurt Badenhausen (@kbadenhausen) July 22, 2021
Badenhausen predicts that as NBA salaries continue to rise, James will not be the last player to reach the financial milestone, noting that Kevin Durant and Steph Curry might be next in line.
Take a look at the trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy starring James, in theaters now and in the U.S. on HBO Max.
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