LA Lakers superstar LeBron James creates history, becomes 1st active NBA player worth $1 billion
LeBron James becomes 1st active NBA player worth $1 Billion: Forbes
NBA superstar LeBron James has added another feather to his illustrious hat. The LA Lakers player, also known as "King James", is now a billionaire, as confirmed by a Forbes report on Thursday (June 02). The 37-year-old veteran forward, a four-time NBA champion and also a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, ranks second on NBA's all-time scoring list and has been associated with the league since 2003.
In the Forbes list of highest-paid world athletes, counting from May 2021 to May 2022, LeBron is only second on the list,with a total income of USD 121.2 million. Hetrails behindArgentina's captainand Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi, who has a total worth of USD 130 million. The top five comprise Cristiano Ronaldo (at the third spot with$115 million), Neymar ($95 million at the fourth spot), and Stephen Curry (with$92.8 million in the fifth position).
During an interview with GQ in 2014, LeBron had expressed his desire of becoming a billionaire. "If it happens. It's my biggest milestone," James said at the time. "Obviously. 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."
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In his glittering NBA career, James has earned in excess of USD 385 million in salary alone as a player where he has representedthe Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Lakers.Apart from his stint in the premier league, James also took a star turn in Hollywood with the film "Space Jam: A New Legacy" and managed to sell a minority stake in his production company, SpringHill. Thus, morethan a whopping USD 500 million of his value comes from cash as well as investments.
In addition, the superstar basketballer James has an ownership stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns English Premier League side Liverpool, Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox whereas itmade a deal to buy the ice hockey team Pittsburgh Penguins.
At 37, LeBron's overall stature and value continue to rise and made heads turn in the sporting fraternity.