LeBron James he always had as a model since he started his career Michael Jordan. It is no coincidence that it has worn for many years the number 23 on his shirt, although it has recently recovered the ‘6’. On the court he aspires to equal the six champion rings that conquered ‘Air’ (1991, 92, 93, 96, 97 and 98), something difficult but not impossible because he already has four (2012, 13, 16 and 20), although the time and your age (he will turn 37 in December) they play against him.
Michael Jordan’s fortune
And the other pulse of the stars of the Lakers with the myth of the Bulls it is disputed in another field, the business one, in which Jordan He proved to have a prodigious tusk while on duty and after his retirement. Not in vain, according to the most prominent specialized economic publications, it is estimated that his fortune is around 1,650 million dollars. Came to knead of 2.1 billion, but has lost about 500 million in the crisis of the pandemic.
‘Air’ made a lot of money playing, some 90 million during his career, but the bulk of his fortune, some 1.8 billion, won them according to Forbes thanks to the businesses he started after retiring and to his corporate partners. Jordan Brand, the sportswear division of Nike that he owns, is his main source of income, with a few 2,000 million turnover per year before taxes.
He invested 175 million in the Hornets, which today are worth 1,500
In addition, in 2006 I buy a portion of the Charlotte Hornets shareholding for 175 million, expanding their participation in 2014 up to 89.5% to become majority owner of the franchise. It is estimated that this participation was worth then 625 million. On 2021, and despite the pandemic, its value has increased to 1,500 million. In fact, in 2019 it sold a small part of its shares to make money.
The myth, at 58 years old, also maintains lucrative sponsorship deals with Nike, Hanes, Gatorade y Upper Deck, companies that supported him during his career and with which he maintains an already historic loyalty. In addition, it has its own real estate company that generates tens of millions profit per year. He is currently in the position 1001 of the list of the richest people in the world of Forbes.
LeBron, over 1 billion … before taxes
LeBron James, for his part, he is not far behind, profiting from his figure as one of the best players in history with millionaire deals of sponsorship with Nike, Walmart and other major brands, as well as creating his own investment company, SpringHill, named after the neighborhood where he lived with his mother in Ohio. And has participation in a handful of very lucrative businesses.
According Forbes, the star of the Lakers has earned more than $ 1 billion during his career of 18 years in the NBA, 400 million in salary and more than 600 in various businesses off the pitch. However, the prestigious financial publication still does not consider him a billionaire (in the United States those who amass more than 1,000 million fortune are considered that way), because after accounting for taxes, spending and return on your investments, estimates that James’ net worth is about 850 million.
95.4 million a year between salary and advertising revenue
On the court, the contract James with the Lakers makes him the 5th highest paid player in the NBA (31.4)But it’s his off-court ability that puts him in another orbit. During this last year James has raised approximately 64 million through sponsorship and advertising revenue, a record for an active NBA player and 21 million more than Kevin Durant, number 2 for that concept.
James’ largest sponsor is Nike, who signed a lifetime agreement with him in 2016. Although there are no official figures for it, it is speculated that it is around 1,000 million. Divide by his years of life and calculate, but at least he gets tens of millions a year for him. James invested those earnings in real estate (has at least four properties whose total value is around 100 million) and own businesses that are giving you a high profitability.
SpringHill, the flagship of its businesses, is worth 750 million
The flagship of its businesses is SpringHill, named after the apartments where he first lived with his mother in Ohio after doing it at the homes of family and friends. He founded the company with his childhood friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, after collecting 100 million major backers. Today it is estimated that its value is about 750 million, and according Forbes I would be thinking of selling the company in whole or in part.
SpringHill combines three companies in one: his Robot Company marketing agency, which has among its clients JPMorgan Chase, Beats by Dre and Sprite, and SpringHill Entertainment. The second is SpringHill Entertainment and the third Uninterrupted, which provides athletes with a platform to reach the public directly through social and traditional media, podcasts, in-person events, and marketing. He produces, among others, the HBO talk show The Shop.
Fenway Sports Group, team owner
Another of his great sources of income, about 70 million, comes from their participation in Fenway Sports Group, owner among others of the Boston Red Sox, of the Liverpool Football Club, half of Roush Fenway Racing and from 80% del New England Sports Network. James acquired a minority stake in the team from the Premier League English in 2011 when his sports marketing group, LRMR, partnered with Fenway Sports Group
‘King’ James hits all the sticks, and in 2015 rejected a sponsorship deal with McDonald’s for an estimated value of 15 million for four years and bet on Blaze Pizza, investing a million for 10% of the small pizza delivery chain. And he was right, well Blaze now has over 300 stores owned by the company and franchisees (James owns interests in 18 Blaze franchises in Florida and Illinois) in the United States and Canada. It is estimated that they will have made you earn 30 million.
LeBron James, delivering pizzas for Blaze, a company in which he is a shareholder.
Even after assuming high taxes and salaries for dozens of agents and administrators, Forbes estimates that James has at least $ 350 million in assets regardless of their participation in SpringHill, Blaze, Fenway Sports Group and his portfolio of property. That includes a collection of luxury cars, proceeds from the sale of Beats by Dre a Apple por 3.000 millones in 2014 (James was a minority partner) and shares of the BeachBody fitness company, which acquired the sports nutrition company that co-founded with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ladder, in exchange for 28 million in shares.
He will be the second basketball player to reach 1,000 million
In total, it is estimated that the wealth of LeBron James, to this day, around the $ 850 million. something far from the 1,650 million in which is calculated that of Michael Jordan. Of course the myth has already 58 years and LeBron will deliver 37 in December. He’s 20 years old to hunt him down and is on the way to hoarding 1,000 million before reaching 40 years in 2024. He would be the second basketball player to do so … after Michael Jordan.
