LeBron James Becomes First Active NBA Superstar Worth Over $1 Billion

According to Forbes Magazine, Basketball superstar, LeBron James, has become the first active superstar in NBA history with a net worth of over $1 billion. LeBron is currently the second-highest paid athlete in the world, behind Argentinian football maestro, Lionel Messi, with total earnings of $121.2 million over the past year.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is regarded as one of the best basketball players in the history of the sport. He ranks second on the league’s all-time scoring list, has won the NBA championship four times, and has been named as NBA’s most valuable player on 4 occasions.

LeBron has earned over $385 million in salary alone in an illustrious 19-year NBA career. He has represented some of the top teams in the league including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.

According to Forbes, the 37-year-old has brought in more than $900 million as part of endorsements and investments. He holds a 1% stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool Football Club and Baseball side, Boston Red Sox. Apart from this, LeBron has also agreed to buy majority stakes in National Hockey League (NHL) side, Pittsburgh Penguins.

Previously, legendary basketball player, Michael Jordan, had also crossed the $1 billion mark but he did not reach the billionaire status until 11 years after his retirement from the sport.