LeBron James Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is LeBron James’ Net Worth and Salary?

LeBron James, an American professional basketball player and entrepreneur, has amassed a net worth of $800 million. After making waves in high school basketball, he bypassed college and was selected as the #1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, his hometown team. He played for the Cavaliers from 2003 until 2010, after which he moved to Miami, playing with the Heat from 2010 to 2014. During his time in Miami, he secured two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. After a return to the Cavaliers from 2014 to 2018, he clinched another championship in 2016. In 2018, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, winning a championship in 2020.

Currently, LeBron ranks as the third-highest-paid player in the NBA by salary alone, receiving an annual base salary of $52 million. On February 7, 2023, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to claim the title of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Beyond sports, LeBron has established himself as one of the world’s most financially successful and influential celebrities. He garners between $60-90 million annually from endorsements and holds a lifetime contract with Nike worth $1 billion. Leveraging his fame and fortune, he has built a substantial business empire with investments in various startups. Additionally, he holds partial ownership in several teams, including Liverpool F.C., Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, RFK Racing, A.C. Milan, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. If he continues on his current trajectory with earnings and investments, LeBron James is projected to become a billionaire by 2030.

Annual Income

Each year, LeBron James earns about $45 million from his NBA salary along with approximately $55 million from endorsements, yielding a total annual income exceeding $100 million. Between June 2016 and 2017, his earnings totaled $86 million. From June 2017 to June 2018, he earned $85.5 million, and from June 2018 to June 2019, another approximately $85 million.

“`of the 2018-2019 season, LeBron signed a four-year, $154 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. This deal further solidified his status among the highest-paid players in the league.

From 2021 until June 2022, his earnings surged to an impressive $121.2 million. For the 2022-2023 season, LeBron’s on-court salary along with endorsements totaled $119.5 million.

Salary & Career Earnings

As it stands, LeBron has accumulated just over $800 million through contracts and endorsements throughout his career, prior to taxes and expenses.

In his initial ten seasons with the NBA, LeBron James amassed over $126 million in salary. Concurrently, during this timeframe, he also raked in an estimated $326 million from endorsements, resulting in a staggering total of $452 million for his first decade as a professional athlete. Recently, LeBron extended his contract with the Lakers for an additional two years, worth $85 million.

In August 2022, a two-year deal worth $99.02 million was signed by LeBron with the Lakers. By the conclusion of this contract in 2025, he will have earned over $530.8 million in NBA salaries. In July 2024, he further committed to a two-year contract worth $102 million with the Lakers. By the end of the 2026 season, his total NBA salary would reach $583 million.

Endorsement Deals

LeBron has partnered with numerous companies for endorsement deals, including McDonald’s, Microsoft, State Farm, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Samsung, Nike, and several others. In addition to endorsing Beats by Dre, he also owned a 1% stake in the company, earning $1 million in royalty payments as a spokesperson. When Beats sold to Apple for $3 billion, his portion amounted to $30 million. In 2011, James co-founded the designer retail store UNKNWN located in Miami.

Nike Deal

At the age of 18, LeBron entered into his inaugural Nike endorsement deal, which was worth $90 million over a span of seven years, equating to $12.8 million annually. He had also been presented with a $115 million offer from Reebok.

Currently, LeBron receives $20 million yearly from Nike through salary and royalty payments linked to his signature footwear line.

In December 2015, he agreed to a lifetime endorsement contract with Nike, a deal that could exceed $1 billion in total value. This was the first lifetime deal Nike ever extended and is reportedly the largest in the company’s history.

Contracts

As many know, LeBron chose to skip college basketball, entering the NBA directly as the first overall pick in the 2003 draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, his hometown team. His initial contract was valued at $18.8 million for four years. Before the 2007-2008 season, he secured a three-year, $60 million extension with the Cavs, which raised his annual salary to $5.8 million, then to $13 million, followed by $14.4 million, and ultimately $15.8 million by the 2009-2010 season. Leading into the 2011 season, LeBron notably shared his decision to leave Cleveland for Miami during a televised special aptly named “The Decision.” Though ridiculed for the seemingly arrogant presentation, the event raised approximately $6 million for charity. Upon moving to Miami, he opted for a below-market six-year, $110 million contract, as he anticipated a championship alongside teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Interestingly, in his inaugural season with the Heat, LeBron earned $1.2 million less than his previous salary in Cleveland.

Following four years with the Heat, LeBron rejoined the Cavaliers before the start of the 2014-2015 season. Throughout his tenure in Cleveland, he strategically opted for 1-year contracts to enhance his earning potential with each passing season as the NBA salary cap continued to increase.

After clinching the NBA championship in 2016, he signed a lucrative three-year, $100 million contract with the Cavs. His earnings for the first year hit $23 million, and in the following year, he made $30.963 million, which marked the first time he became the highest-paid player in the league. By the third year of this contract, he earned a remarkable $33.285 million, leading the league in salary.

Ahead

In the 2018-2019 season, LeBron transitioned from the Cavs to the Lakers, signing a four-year deal worth $153 million, which averages an annual salary of $38 million.

In November 2020, the Lakers and LeBron revealed a two-year extension valued at $85 million, securing his stay with the team until 2023. This amounts to an annual base NBA salary of $42.5 million. Then, in August 2022, the parties agreed on an additional two-year extension, this time valued at the veteran maximum of $99.02 million. As a result of this contract, LeBron James will become the highest-paid player in NBA history, exceeding $530.8 million and surpassing Kevin Durant’s all-time earnings.

Will LeBron James Become A Billionaire?

In the upcoming decade, but we will discuss that shortly. Before achieving billionaire status, LeBron must first enter the billion-dollar athlete club, which currently consists of six members: Michael Schumacher ($1 billion), Floyd Mayweather ($1.1 billion), Jack Nicklaus ($1.15 billion), Arnold Palmer ($1.35 billion), Tiger Woods ($1.65 billion), and Michael Jordan ($1.9 billion).

Combining his new salary and anticipated endorsements, LeBron’s career earnings will easily exceed $100 million annually over his four-year period in LA, potentially nearing $110 or $120 million. By 2026, LeBron is expected to retire with approximately $1.1 billion in total career earnings. Based on our estimates, should LeBron emulate legends such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant, his net worth could exceed $1 billion by 2030.

Early Life

LeBron James was born in Akron, Ohio, on December 30, 1984. As an infant, his mother gifted him a small hoop and basketball, with which he played for hours. Basketball quickly became the central focus of LeBron’s life, and once he began playing in elementary school, he stood out on the court. He attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where he became the youngest player to earn a spot on the USA Today All-USA first team as a sophomore. By his junior year, he was honored as the Gatorade National Player of the Year. It was during this period that he earned the nickname “King James.” He made appearances on the covers of “SLAM” magazine and Sports Illustrated, even while still a high school student. It was evident to all that LeBron was on a path to becoming an NBA superstar.

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected LeBron James as the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. During his inaugural season, he became the youngest player to score 40 points in a single game, as well as the youngest recipient of the Rookie of the Year award. Besides his tenure with the Cavaliers, he represented the United States Olympic basketball team, winning bronze and gold medals in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, respectively. In both 2012 and 2013, LeBron and the Miami Heat claimed the NBA championship, earning MVP honors for both series.

Personal Life and Real Estate

With his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, James has three children. The couple celebrated their wedding in September 2013 in San Diego, California.

During their time in Miami, the James family resided in a mansion with views of Biscayne Bay located in Coconut Grove. LeBron purchased the home in November 2010 for $9 million. In October 2014, he listed the property at $17 million, but ultimately accepted $13.4 million when it sold in August 2015.

In November 2015, LeBron acquired a 9,350-square-foot mansion in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood for $21 million, marking the highest price ever paid for a home in that area at that time. After nearly a year on the market, he sold it in September 2021 for $19.6 million, incurring a slight loss.

November 2017 saw LeBron purchasing another mansion in Brentwood for $23 million.

LeBron bought a mansion in Beverly Hills for $36.8 million in September 2020, which he had demolished in 2023 with aspirations to construct his dream home on the site.

In Ohio, LeBron owns one of the Cleveland area’s priciest residences. This custom-built home in Bath Township, valued at $9.5 million by Ohio tax authorities, encompasses 20 rooms within 30,000 square feet. He acquired the property in 2003 at just 18 years old after entering the NBA.

SpringHill Entertainment

Co-founders of the production company SpringHill Entertainment, LeBron and his business partner Maverick Carter have produced a variety of movies, documentaries, and television shows.

Blaze Pizza

In 2012, LeBron made an investment into a pizza startup known as Blaze Pizza while still under contract with McDonald’s. In 2017, he declined a $15 million extension offer from McDonald’s to fully commit to Blaze Pizza. Currently, he owns at least 21 franchises, with Blaze Pizza ranking among the fastest-growing restaurant chains. At the company’s latest valuation, LeBron’s equity stake is estimated to be worth $40 million.

Fenway Sports Group

LeBron aspires to own an NBA team, but for now, he has settled for being a soccer team owner. In 2011, he bought a 2% stake in Liverpool F.C. from the Fenway Sports Group, the club’s majority owners, who also own the Red Sox. Since the deal was established, Liverpool has clinched the UEFA Champions League title and its value has surged to $2 billion, making LeBron’s stake worth at least $40 million.

In 2021, he became a partner at Fenway Sports Group, giving him partial ownership of the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, RFK Racing, in addition to Liverpool F.C.

Quotes on Success

“I’m going to use all my tools, my God-given ability, and make the best life I can with it.”

“You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed – you’re not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that.”