LeBron James has officially achieved the status of billionaire, making him the first current NBA player to do so. According to Forbes, the 18-time NBA all-star, 4-time NBA champion, and 2-time Olympic gold medalist’s net worth topped $1 billion in 2021 following a record-breaking year of earnings of $121.2 million.
In a foreshadowing 2014 interview with GQ, James said, “It’s my greatest milestone.” “Obviously. I wish to grow my company to its full potential. And if I happen to acquire it, if I happen to be a billionaire athlete, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes “Oh, my God, I’m going to be ecstatic.”
James became the first active NBA player to join the billionaire list, despite missing the playoffs for just the fourth time in 19 seasons. The only other NBA players to achieve the huge milestone are Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, both of whom became billionaires after retiring. Kevin Durant, according to Complex, is the second-closest active NBA player to becoming a billionaire behind LeBron James, with a net worth of $580 million. In a 2014 interview with GQ, James said that becoming a billionaire was one of his top priorities.
Bron’s net worth, according to Forbes, is more than $500 million in cash and other assets. Another source of James’ wealth is said to be his SpringHill Company, which is responsible for films like Space Jame: A New Legacy, which he produced with Warner Bros., as well as numerous other high-profile projects.
Other ventures, such as Blaze Pizza, becoming a part-owner of Fenway Sports Group, and his real estate holdings, have also contributed to LeBron’s billionaire status.