Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James hit another milestone that no other player in NBA managed to reach. This one, however, is more about his work off the floor than on it.
According to Forbes, James is the first active NBA player in history to become a billionaire. Basketball great Michael Jordan also has the same status, but the former Chicago Bulls star achieved it more than a decade after finishing his playing career.
James entered the billionaire realm thanks to $121.2 million in earnings in the past year. This included a $41.1 million salary for the 2021-22 NBA season from the Lakers as well as earnings from other business and endorsement deals. Only Paris Saint-Germain’s forward Lionel Messi took home more with yearly earnings of $130 million.
Becoming a billionaire was one of the goals that James talked about in the past. He even called it his “biggest milestone” in a 2014’s GQ interview.
“It’s my biggest milestone, obviously,” said James at the time. “I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I’m gonna be excited.”
James has a number of business ventures besides basketball. He invested in various brands, including rideshare company Lyft, restaurant chain Blaze Pizza, and the brand of home gym equipment Tonal. The 37-year-old player also has his own TV and movie production company SpringHill and owns a stake in Fenway Sports Group, the owners of Boston Red Sox and Premier League giants Liverpool.
