LeBron James Net Worth: $800 Million in 2024

LeBron James Net Worth: $800 Million in 2024.

What is LeBron James' Net Worth and Salary?

LeBron James is a well-known American basketball player and entrepreneur with a staggering net worth of $800 million. After making waves in high school basketball, he decided to skip college and was picked first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA draft, his hometown team. He played with the Cavs from 2003 to 2010 before moving to Miami, where he helped the Heat snag two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. LeBron returned to the Cavaliers from 2014 to 2018, clinching another championship in 2016, and then joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, winning a title with them in 2020.

As of now, he ranks as the third-highest-paid player in the NBA based solely on salary, pulling in an impressive $52 million a year. On February 7, 2023, he made history by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Beyond basketball, LeBron is one of the highest-earning celebrities worldwide, raking in between $60 million and $90 million annually from endorsements alone, plus he has a lifetime contract with Nike worth $1 billion. He’s turned his fame and fortune into a thriving business empire, investing in various startups. He also has ownership stakes in several sports teams, including Liverpool F.C., the Boston Red Sox, the New England Patriots, RFK Racing, A.C. Milan, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. If he keeps up his current earnings and investments, LeBron is on track to become a billionaire by 2030.

Key Statistics

First Nike contract paid $90 million over 7 years

Turned down a larger contract with Reebok

Typically earns $100+ million per year from endorsements

Earned $450 million from salary and endorsments in first decade in the NBA

Makes $45+ million per year in base NBA salary

Has earned $800 million during his career so far from salary and endorsments

On pace to be a billioniare in 2030

Owns roughly $80 million worth of real estate

Annual Income

LeBron James rakes in about $45 million a year from his NBA salary and around $55 million from endorsements, totaling over $100 million annually. From June 2016 to 2017, he made $86 million, and from June 2017 to June 2018, he earned $85.5 million. The following year, from June 2018 to June 2019, he brought in roughly $85 million again. But from June 2021 to June 2022, his earnings took a huge leap to $121.2 million. For the 2022-2023 season, his combined salary and endorsements hit $119.5 million.

Salary & Career Earnings

As of now, LeBron has racked up over $800 million from his contracts and endorsements throughout his career (before taxes and expenses).

In his first ten years in the NBA, LeBron made just over $126 million in salary alone. During that same stretch, he pulled in around $326 million from endorsements, totaling $452 million in his first decade as a pro. Recently, he signed a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers.

In August 2022, he inked another two-year deal worth $99.02 million with the Lakers. By the time that contract wraps up in 2025, LeBron will have earned over $530.8 million in NBA salaries. Then in July 2024, he signed a two-year, $102 million deal with the Lakers. By the end of the 2026 season, his NBA salary earnings will hit $583 million.

Endorsement Deals

LeBron has partnerships with a ton of companies, including McDonald's, Microsoft, State Farm, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Samsung, Nike, and many more. Besides endorsing Beats by Dre, he also owned a 1% stake in the company, earning $1 million in royalty payments during his time as a spokesperson. When Beats sold to Apple for $3 billion, LeBron's share was $30 million. In 2011, he co-founded the designer retail store UNKNWN in Miami.

Nike Deal

LeBron inked his first Nike endorsement deal when he was just 18 years old, raking in $90 million over seven years, which breaks down to about $12.8 million a year. Interestingly, he had a chance to sign with Reebok for $115 million instead.

Fast forward to today, and LeBron is pulling in $20 million annually from Nike, thanks to his salary and royalties from his signature shoe line.

In December 2015, he took it a step further by signing a lifetime endorsement deal with Nike that could be worth over $1 billion. This was a groundbreaking move, as it was the first lifetime deal Nike ever offered and reportedly the biggest in the company's history.

RELATED: Carmelo Anthony's Massive $160 Million Net Worth & Career Earnings Breakdown.

Contracts

Most people know that LeBron went straight to the NBA from high school, getting picked first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 draft. His initial contract was worth $18.8 million for four years. Before the 2007-2008 season, he signed a three-year extension with the Cavs for $60 million, which boosted his salary from $5.8 million to $13 million, then $14.4 million, and finally $15.8 million for the 2009-2010 season.

As the 2011 season approached, LeBron made headlines with his televised announcement, "The Decision," where he revealed he was leaving Cleveland for Miami. Although he faced criticism for the way he did it, the special ended up raising about $6 million for charity. When he joined the Heat, he accepted a deal worth $110 million over six years, which was below market value because he believed he could win a championship there alongside Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Interestingly, in his first season with Miami, he actually earned $1.2 million less than he had in Cleveland.

After spending four seasons with The Heat, LeBron made his way back to Cleveland before the 2014-2015 season. While he was with the Cavs, he opted for one-year contracts to take advantage of the rising NBA salary cap and boost his earnings.

In 2016, right after clinching the NBA championship, LeBron inked a three-year deal worth $100 million with the Cavaliers. He earned $23 million in the first year, then jumped to $30.963 million in the second year, making him the highest-paid player in the league for the first time. By the third year of that contract, he was raking in a whopping $33.285 million.

As the 2018-2019 season approached, LeBron switched teams, signing a four-year contract with the Lakers for $153 million, averaging about $38 million a year.

In November 2020, LeBron and the Lakers revealed a two-year contract extension worth $85 million, keeping him with the team until 2023, which breaks down to $42.5 million annually. Then in August 2022, they agreed on another two-year extension, this time for $99.02 million, making LeBron the highest-paid player in NBA history with total earnings exceeding $530.8 million, surpassing Kevin Durant.

Will LeBron James Be A Billionaire?

In the next ten years, but we'll get into that shortly. Before LeBron can officially call himself a billionaire, he needs to break into the billion-dollar athlete club. Right now, that exclusive group includes six legends: 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).

With his new salary and upcoming endorsements, LeBron is set to rake in over $100 million a year during his four years in LA, possibly hitting around $110 or $120 million. If all goes as planned, he could retire in 2026 with about $1.1 billion in total earnings. Based on our calculations, if LeBron follows the path of icons like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant, he could see his net worth exceed $1 billion by 2030.

Early Life

LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. As a baby, his mom gifted him a tiny hoop and basketball, and he would spend hours shooting hoops. Basketball quickly became his passion, and once he hit elementary school, he dominated the court right away. He went on to attend St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, where he made history as the youngest player to be named to the USA Today All-USA first team during his sophomore year.

By junior year, he snagged the title of Gatorade National Player of the Year, and that’s when he started being called "King James." Even while still in high school, he graced the covers of "SLAM" magazine and Sports Illustrated, making it clear that he was on the path to NBA stardom.

In 2003, LeBron was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA draft. He made waves in his rookie season, becoming the youngest player to score 40 points in a game and to win the Rookie of the Year award. Beyond his time with the Cavaliers, he also represented the United States in the Olympics, bringing home bronze in 2004 and gold in 2008. LeBron led the Miami Heat to NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, earning MVP honors in both finals.

Personal Life and Real Estate

James has three kids with his high school love, Savannah Brinson. They tied the knot in September 2013 in San Diego, California.

While living in Miami, the James family resided in a stunning mansion that overlooked Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove. He snagged the place for $9 million back in November 2010. By October 2014, LeBron put the mansion on the market for $17 million but ended up selling it for $13.4 million in August 2015.

In November 2015, LeBron purchased a massive 9,350-square-foot mansion in Brentwood, LA, for $21 million, which was the highest price for a home in that area at the time. He tried to sell it for about a year but took a small hit when he sold it in September 2021 for $19.6 million.

Then in November 2017, LeBron dropped $23 million on another mansion in Brentwood.

Fast forward to September 2020, LeBron bought a mansion in Beverly Hills for a whopping $36.8 million. By 2023, he had the place torn down to make way for his dream home.

Back in Ohio, LeBron owns one of the priciest homes in the Cleveland area. Situated in Bath Township, this custom-built house is valued at $9.5 million by Ohio tax officials. It boasts 20 rooms and spans 30,000 square feet. He purchased the property in 2003 when he was just 18 and fresh into the NBA.

RELATED: Michael Jordan's Net Worth Soars to a Staggering $2.6 Billion!.

SpringHill Entertainment

LeBron and his business partner Maverick Carter are the co-founders of production company SpringHill Entertainment. The company has produced movies, documentaries, and television shows.

Blaze Pizza

In 2012, LeBron decided to invest in a pizza startup called Blaze Pizza. At the time, he was under contract with McDonald's. In 2017, LeBron actually turned down a $15 million extension offer from McDonald's so he could go all-in with Blaze Pizza. As of this writing, he owns at least 21 Blaze pizza franchises, and the company is one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains of all time. LeBron's equity stake at the company's latest valuation is worth $40 million.

Fenway Sports Group

While it is LeBron's ultimate goal to own an NBA team, in the meantime, he'll have to make-do with owning a soccer team. In 2011, LeBron struck a deal to acquire a 2% stake in Liverpool F.C. from the club's majority owners, the Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Red Sox). In the years since the deal was struck, Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League tournament and has grown to be worth $2 billion. LeBron's stake is worth at least $40 million.

In 2021, James joined Fenway Sports Group as a partner, making him part owner of the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, and RFK Racing in addition to Liverpool F.C.

LeBron James is not only a basketball legend but also a savvy entrepreneur, amassing an $800 million net worth. From his groundbreaking career in the NBA to his lucrative endorsement deals and business ventures, LeBron has turned his fame into an empire.

His lifetime contract with Nike, investments in sports teams, and ownership of multiple businesses, including Blaze Pizza, have positioned him to potentially become a billionaire by 2030. LeBron’s dedication to excellence on and off the court has solidified his place among the wealthiest and most influential athletes in the world, ensuring his legacy for generations.