LeBron James surpasses $1B in career earnings
- Economy
- AP
- Published Date: 09:40 | 22 July 2021
- Modified Date: 09:40 | 22 July 2021
NBA superstar LeBron James has joined the billionaires' club, Sportico reported Thursday.
The "Space Jam: A New Legacy" star is the first active NBA player ever to reach that stratosphere.
James, 36, has earned $330 million in player salaries and another $700 million off the court from endorsements, merchandising, licensing and his media business, according to the report. His current endorsement partners include Nike, PepsiCo, AT&T, Walmart, GMC, Epic Games, Beats, Blaze Pizza and Rimowa.
The only other athletes to earn $1 billion while still active are golfer Tiger Woods, boxer Floyd Mayweather, tennis star Roger Federer and soccer greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
A 17-time All-Star, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion, James averaged 25.0 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds in his third season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020-21.
On the NBA's all-time lists, James ranks third in points (35,367) and eighth in assists (9,696) through 18 seasons.