(CNN Business) — LeBron James is a billionaire, marking the first time an active NBA player has achieved that milestone, according to one estimate.
Forbes said the Los Angeles Lakers star has “maxed out his business,” generating more than $1.2 billion in pre-tax earnings. His NBA salary from three different teams over the past 19 years has totaled $383 million, and James has “raised more than $900 million in income from endorsements and other business ventures,” the magazine said.
In addition to lucrative endorsement deals with Nike, AT&T, PepsiCo and Walmart, Forbes said James structured his deals to include stock in those brands, giving him a “share of potential rather than a quick paycheck.” The four-time NBA champion also has investments in fitness company Tonal, ride-sharing company Lyft and restaurant company Blaze Pizza.
Another lucrative investment for James is the television and film studio SpringHill Entertainment, which Forbes values at around $300 million. The studio helped produce “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” a film in which she starred that grossed $163 million in worldwide box office receipts.
James has long dreamed of being a billionaire.
“It’s my biggest milestone,” he told GQ in a 2014 interview. “Obviously I want to maximize my business. And if I get it, if I’m a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh my gosh.” I’m going to be excited.”
Notably, Michael Jordan is the only other basketball billionaire on the Forbes list. He didn’t make it until 2014, more than a decade after his retirement.
