LeBron James is now a billionaire — here's how he makes and spends his millions

Cork Gaines,Meredith Cash,Scott DavisMay 19, 2023, 03:09 IST

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

LeBron James is a four-time champion, four-time MVP, 19-time All-Star, and soon to be the highest-paid NBA player of all time.
James signed a two-year, $97 million contract with the Lakers that will pay him $50 million in 2024-25.
King James has amassed amazing cars and houses while achieving his goal of becoming a billion-dollar athlete, and he still has time for his surprisingly ordinary family.

LeBron James is one of the most accomplished athletes in sports history.

King James is a four-time NBA champion, four-time league MVP, and 19-time All-Star. And now that he's broken virtually every record the NBA has to offer — including passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the league's all-time scoring crown — James has set his sights on playing alongside his sons in the pros.

The man who refers to himself as "just a kid from Akron" has amassed amazing cars and houses while achieving his goal of becoming a billion-dollar athlete.

Below we take a look at the fabulous and, at times, somewhat ordinary family life of King James.

Tony Manfred and Emmett Knowlton contributed to this report.

James is one of the wealthiest athletes of all time.

LeBron James.Michael Owen Baker/AP Images

The extension will make James the highest-earning player of all time, with $532 million.

Mark J. Terrill/AP Images

But in addition to his NBA salary, LeBron also makes roughly $90 million a year in endorsements off the court.

YouTube/Kia Motors America

His endorsements include AT&T, Walmart, Intel, Kia, and more.

AT&T

He has a longtime sponsorship with Beats by Dre and even gifted headphones from the brand to players on his favorite college football team.

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

He also has a monster deal with Nike. The company signed him to a seven-year, $93 million deal right out of high school.

REUTERS/Ron Kuntz RK

And in December 2015, Nike signed him to a lifetime deal that will go far beyond the standard shoe endorsement and is expected to be worth $1 billion.

Visual China Group via Getty Images/Visual China Group via Getty Images

Nike has even built a building for LeBron.

Nike

Thanks in large part to his Nike deal, LeBron is now officially a billionaire, according to Forbes, with a net worth of exactly $1 billion.

Fishermen Labs' Nike x LeBron James AR lens for SnapchatFishermen Labs

LeBron is active on Instagram, which is another source of income for The King.

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

James used to have an endorsement deal with McDonald's.

Brandon McNulty/McDonald's/YouTube

Instead, he became a spokesman for Blaze Pizza, a company where he was a founding investor.

Screenshot via Blaze Pizza/YouTube

He made a similar move in 2021 when he left longtime sponsor Coca-Cola — or Sprite — for a deal with rival PepsiCo and its Mountain Dew brand.

Aaron Davidson/Getty Images for Sprite

James is an investor in Lobos 1707 tequila.

LeBron James (center) with Sheron Barber (right)TBG Press Team (The Brand Guild)

Economists have estimated he was worth as much as $500 million to the city of Cleveland.

AP Photo/Mark Duncan

He's also quite the businessman himself.

Getty/Doug Pensinger

He owns a piece of Liverpool FC, the esteemed English Premier League club.

Liverpool FC

He doubled down in 2021, buying into Fenway Sports Group (Liverpool FC's parent) to become a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox.

REUTERS/Adam Hunger

Warren Buffett said of LeBron, "He's savvy. He's smart about financial matters."

Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

In 2015, LeBron's media venture, Uninterrupted, got $16 million from Warner Bros.

Duane Prokop/Getty

James started a production company called SpringHill.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

SpringHill produced "Space Jam: A New Legacy," which he also starred in.

Warner Bros.

LeBron got into a bizarre feud with Nick Saban over the rights to air a show that involves people talking about current events in a barbershop.

Uninterrupted

He and Arnold Schwarzenegger are part of a group that invested in Georgetown Company and Bill Ackman's office building in Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood in NYC.

Google Maps

Despite persistent rumors that LeBron owns a stake in Klutch Sports Agency with his longtime friend, Rich Paul, the NBA says that is not the case.

Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Remy Martin

All that savvy has allowed him to buy some sweet toys.

@dwyanewade

He also owns a Rolls-Royce Phantom with TVs in the seats.

Instagram/LeBron James

And he bought his mom a Porsche for her birthday.

Instagram/LeBron James

And a Ferrari Testarossa for his wife.

Instagram

But he insists that he drives a Kia, even to work.

YouTube/Cleveland.com

Even the wheels have his personal logo.

YouTube/Cleveland.com

But he does own a Ferrari.

The World Cars/YouTube

James also promoted the Hummer EV, the first electric Hummer.

via GMC/YouTube

He appears to own a Porsche 918 Spyder.

YouTube/TheSuperCarSquad

And a Ferrari.

IG/LeBron James

LeBron also has a much bigger vehicle with customized headrests and a big-screen TV on which he likes to watch Tom & Jerry.

Instagram

When he joined the Miami Heat, he bought a $9 million home in Coconut Grove.

Obeo

He also owns a 30,000-square-foot compound in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

Instagram/LeBron James

And in 2017 he purchased a $23 million mansion in Los Angeles.

Trulia

Despite all the spending, Dwyane Wade once called James "the cheapest guy in the NBA."

ESPN/YouTube

James won't even use his phone if it is not on wifi.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

When Pandora heard that, they offered LeBron a free premium account.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

But LeBron isn't cheap when it comes to keeping himself in proper basketball shape, as he reportedly spends more than $1.5 million per year just to take care of his body.

Instagram

But LeBron isn't cheap when it comes to keeping himself in proper basketball shape, as he reportedly spends more than $1.5 million per year just to take care of his body.

One of the ways he splurges on his own body is by using a controversial cryotherapy chamber.

An image from an Entertainment Tonight report on cryotherapy.Youtube/Entertainment Tonight

He also employs a former Navy SEAL who serves as his biomechanist, as well as a recovery coach, personal chefs, and masseuses.

Instagram

LeBron has a full gym, an ice tub, and a hot tub.

Instagram

Former teammate Mike Miller: "Where a lot of people don't do it, he puts a lot of money behind taking care of his body."

Tony Dejak/AP

LeBron also uses one of the most exclusive tattoo artists in the country, Bang Bang Tattoos in New York City.

Bang Bang

His lavish purchases aren't just for himself. He bought his wife Savannah an engagement ring reportedly worth $300,000.

Instagram/LeBron James

He also helped arrange to get former Knicks head coach David Fizdale into a Samsung commercial as a wedding gift.

SamsungUSA

LeBron and Savannah are high-school sweethearts, and they have three kids together.

Instagram

Their wedding was a three-day party in San Diego.

Instagram/LeBron James

They went to Italy for their honeymoon.

Instagram/LeBron James

And later traveled to Greece.

instagram/LeBron James

Savannah opened a juice bar in Miami when James was still with the Heat.

@kingjames

LeBron Jr., better known as Bronny, is turning into quite the ballplayer himself.

LeBron James and his son, Bronny.Jay LaPrete/AP Images

LeBron has said that it's his goal to play in the NBA with his son.

Bronny James.Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

LeBron has become a bit of a fashion icon.

Instagram

He was recently spotted before a playoff game carrying a personalized Louis Vuitton briefcase with "Just A Kid From Akron" embroidered on the side.

The only time we really see him let loose is when he wins something, like when he wore this awesome fang shirt at a nightclub after the Heat won the title in 2012...

YouTube

Even superstars need to relax from time to time.

Instagram

And like many in the NBA, LeBron has become a big fan of the vino.

Instagram

He's also been known to take costume parties seriously. He once made a cameo as Prince and did a decent "Purple Rain" lip sync.

screengrab via Instagram

But in general, he keeps himself out of the gossip pages. He even rode his bike to a game when he played in Miami.

Twitter/jackNruth

He likes bikes so much that he and Maverick Carter's LRMR Ventures purchased a 4% stake in Canyon Bicycles for $30 million.

YouTube/Canyon Bicycles

But LeBron has employed his wealth and business savvy for causes bigger than just himself and his loved ones.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

In 2018, James opened the I Promise School, a fully-funded public elementary school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, that primarily serves at-risk children.

AP Photo/Phil Long

And he's poured his efforts into "More Than a Vote," a campaign that encourages voting.

KingJames/Instagram

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Concierge Auctions; Stephan Savoia/AP

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LeBron James is now a billionaire &mdash; here's how he makes and spends his millions

James is one of the wealthiest athletes of all time.

The extension will make James the highest-earning player of all time, with $532 million.

But in addition to his NBA salary, LeBron also makes roughly $90 million a year in endorsements off the court.

His endorsements include AT&T, Walmart, Intel, Kia, and more.

He has a longtime sponsorship with Beats by Dre and even gifted headphones from the brand to players on his favorite college football team.

He also has a monster deal with Nike. The company signed him to a seven-year, $93 million deal right out of high school.

And in December 2015, Nike signed him to a lifetime deal that will go far beyond the standard shoe endorsement and is expected to be worth $1 billion.

Nike has even built a building for LeBron.

Thanks in large part to his Nike deal, LeBron is now officially a billionaire, according to Forbes, with a net worth of exactly $1 billion.

LeBron is active on Instagram, which is another source of income for The King.

James used to have an endorsement deal with McDonald's.

Instead, he became a spokesman for Blaze Pizza, a company where he was a founding investor.

He made a similar move in 2021 when he left longtime sponsor Coca-Cola — or Sprite — for a deal with rival PepsiCo and its Mountain Dew brand.

James is an investor in Lobos 1707 tequila.

Economists have estimated he was worth as much as $500 million to the city of Cleveland.

He's also quite the businessman himself.

He owns a piece of Liverpool FC, the esteemed English Premier League club.

He doubled down in 2021, buying into Fenway Sports Group (Liverpool FC's parent) to become a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox.

Warren Buffett said of LeBron, "He's savvy. He's smart about financial matters."

In 2015, LeBron's media venture, Uninterrupted, got $16 million from Warner Bros.

James started a production company called SpringHill.

SpringHill produced "Space Jam: A New Legacy," which he also starred in.

LeBron got into a bizarre feud with Nick Saban over the rights to air a show that involves people talking about current events in a barbershop.

He and Arnold Schwarzenegger are part of a group that invested in Georgetown Company and Bill Ackman's office building in Hell's Kitchen, a neighborhood in NYC.

Despite persistent rumors that LeBron owns a stake in Klutch Sports Agency with his longtime friend, Rich Paul, the NBA says that is not the case.

All that savvy has allowed him to buy some sweet toys.

He also owns a Rolls-Royce Phantom with TVs in the seats.

And he bought his mom a Porsche for her birthday.

And a Ferrari Testarossa for his wife.

But he insists that he drives a Kia, even to work.

Even the wheels have his personal logo.

But he does own a Ferrari.

James also promoted the Hummer EV, the first electric Hummer.

He appears to own a Porsche 918 Spyder.

And a Ferrari.

LeBron also has a much bigger vehicle with customized headrests and a big-screen TV on which he likes to watch Tom & Jerry.

When he joined the Miami Heat, he bought a $9 million home in Coconut Grove.

He also owns a 30,000-square-foot compound in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

And in 2017 he purchased a $23 million mansion in Los Angeles.

Despite all the spending, Dwyane Wade once called James "the cheapest guy in the NBA."

James won't even use his phone if it is not on wifi.

When Pandora heard that, they offered LeBron a free premium account.

But LeBron isn't cheap when it comes to keeping himself in proper basketball shape, as he reportedly spends more than $1.5 million per year just to take care of his body.

One of the ways he splurges on his own body is by using a controversial cryotherapy chamber.

He also employs a former Navy SEAL who serves as his biomechanist, as well as a recovery coach, personal chefs, and masseuses.

LeBron has a full gym, an ice tub, and a hot tub.

Former teammate Mike Miller: "Where a lot of people don't do it, he puts a lot of money behind taking care of his body."

LeBron also uses one of the most exclusive tattoo artists in the country, Bang Bang Tattoos in New York City.

His lavish purchases aren't just for himself. He bought his wife Savannah an engagement ring reportedly worth $300,000.

He also helped arrange to get former Knicks head coach David Fizdale into a Samsung commercial as a wedding gift.

LeBron and Savannah are high-school sweethearts, and they have three kids together.

Their wedding was a three-day party in San Diego.

They went to Italy for their honeymoon.

And later traveled to Greece.

Savannah opened a juice bar in Miami when James was still with the Heat.

LeBron Jr., better known as Bronny, is turning into quite the ballplayer himself.

LeBron has said that it's his goal to play in the NBA with his son.

LeBron has become a bit of a fashion icon.

He was recently spotted before a playoff game carrying a personalized Louis Vuitton briefcase with "Just A Kid From Akron" embroidered on the side.

The only time we really see him let loose is when he wins something, like when he wore this awesome fang shirt at a nightclub after the Heat won the title in 2012...

Even superstars need to relax from time to time.

And like many in the NBA, LeBron has become a big fan of the vino.

He's also been known to take costume parties seriously. He once made a cameo as Prince and did a decent "Purple Rain" lip sync.

But in general, he keeps himself out of the gossip pages. He even rode his bike to a game when he played in Miami.

He likes bikes so much that he and Maverick Carter's LRMR Ventures purchased a 4% stake in Canyon Bicycles for $30 million.

But LeBron has employed his wealth and business savvy for causes bigger than just himself and his loved ones.

In 2018, James opened the I Promise School, a fully-funded public elementary school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, that primarily serves at-risk children.

And he's poured his efforts into "More Than a Vote," a campaign that encourages voting.

Now check out the house Michael Jordan is struggling to sell:

LeBron James is now a billionaire — here's how he makes and spends his millions