At the conclusion of his sophomore year, LeBron James was named first team all-state, and as a junior, as he helped lead the Fighting Irish to the state semifinals of the High school football team.
Although, he did not play football during his senior year because of his sustained wrist injury in an AAU basketball game, but many sports analysts, football critics, high school coaches, former and current players have all speculated that LeBron James could have well become a superstar in the National Football League, only if he had chosen football ahead of basketball. Professionally at the least!!!
In fact, the Los Angeles Lakers talisman who was made in Cleveland Cavalier is widely regarded as one of the best NBA players in history.
Although, he is frequently compared to the likes of Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player ever, while he had represented the best franchise in NBA over the course of his career in the league while he won the league with each one playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and the Lakers.
Till date, LeBron James remain the only player to have won NBA Championship with the three franchises he represented in the league with NBA Finals MVP.
More so, James competed in ten NBA Finals, with eight of them coming consecutively with Miami Heat and the Cavaliers from 2011–2018, while he holds one of the best accomplishments in the game which include four NBA Championship, four NBA MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals, coupled with the record for all-time playoff points, with which he remains the third in all time points, and eighth in career assists.
LeBron has been selected to the All-NBA team for a record of seventeen times, while he also made the NBA All Defensive First Team for five times, and has also been named an All-star 17 times which includes three All-Star MVP selections.
More so, the super stardom of the legendary King James began when the NBA fan can only watch the NBA in Canada as the then little breakout James set the template of what is yet to come for the Cavaliers against Toronto Raptors while setting the Cleveland’s new single-game points record.
Personal life
Despite his famous and opaque celebrity life, the American basketball has been lauded by his family as simple guy that can go all out for his family and yet find a way to keep his personal life out of his professionalism.
LeBron James has three children with his childhood and high school sweetheart Savannah Brinson in whom he married in 2013 at San Diego, California after he proposed to her on December 31, 2011.
Although his love for luxurious mansion cannot be overemphasized as James family owned a $9 million mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, while he was representing Miami Heat and in November 2015 LeBron bought a 9,350 square-foot mansion in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood for $21 million, which was the highest price paid for a home in Brentwood at the time.
More so, the LA Laker Starman in November 2017 bought another $23million mansion in Brentwood to extend his love for the neighborhood.
In fact, the basketball magician owns one of the most-expensive homes in the Cleveland area, located in Bath Township.
The home, which LeBron had custom built, is valued at $9.5 million by Ohio tax authorities. The house has a total of 20 rooms in 30,000 square-feet of living space, while he bought the property back in 2003 after joining the NBA as an eighteen-year-old rookie.
Early Life
However, despite the early life struggle of the 36-years-old American basketball superstar, LeBron James has certainly made his mark while he has registered his fortune among the greatest ever in his professional choice. Moreover, LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio to Gloria Marie James, who was 16 at the time of his birth and, Anthony McClelland, who has an extensive criminal record and was not involved in his life.
More importantly, when LeBron was just an infant his mother gave him a miniature hoop and basketball which he played with for hours. Soon, basketball became LeBron’s life and when he was old enough to play for his elementary school he excelled immediately on the court.
While he was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in his junior year. It was clear to everyone that LeBron was destined to be an NBA superstar when he began to appear on the cover of “SLAM” magazine and Sports Illustrated even though he was still in high school.
Although, playing with his friend from childhood for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars team help raise his game, even when he was at junior high school where he was with the same set of friends. However, it was his standout performance among his peer that got the scouts worked up about his prominent talent and fastidious ability in reading of the game, while he featured in multiple illustrations, and got given the opportunity to play for the Cavaliers.
Career
In 2003, the 36-year-old LA Lakers Starman was drafted by his hometown team, Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick as he set the NBA record for most points scored by a prep-to-pro player in his debut performance, while he became the Cleveland Cavaliers player to receive the rookie of the year award.
The infamous LeBron became just the third player in league history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game as a rookie.
More soon after his debut year in 2003, it became so apparent that the 2003 rookie of the year is on the path of greatness as he quietly as quickly rises his team demand and became to dictate the game trend for the Cavaliers but it was in this season till 2008 that he became an undisputed leader of the team while he began to challenge the best in the game and one of the best in the history.
The Ohio born player at the end of 2010 season had scoop the NBA, most valuable player two time while his play all-rounder from defensive player to more of the point guard due to the team series of injury but his career became clear from here after before his move to Miami Heat in the same year where he won the NBA in 2012 and 2013 with the Heats.
Although the following, the Ohio born point guard struggle to help his team dominate the NBA for the third time in a row while the fell short of winning the gong once again and media scrutiny was at his peak again the 36-year-old but ineptitude and charisma wouldn’t make the Starman bow down as he return to his former team on high.
Although his return ensures the Cavaliers of NBA champion in 2016 while his team play and fastidious point rose to the peak with his rookie but his move to the LA Lakers in 2018 further attest to the greatness of the black-American international. Winning with Laker in 2020 was an evidence of how great is the former Cleveland Cavaliers player as his inclusion in any team gives them a short at winning the NBA.
The American international might have struggled in his early life but his eighteen years career span has been filled with lots of great moment while he has won so many individuals and team accolade to show for his excellence career to which he became famous and rich. However, with such glamorous career, it is only pertinent to reference his worth.
Net worth
On yearly basis, LeBron James earns around $40million in wages from the NBA franchise he represents and roughly $55 million from his endorsements deals which brings his total annual income too roughly or little less than $100million.
However, between June 2016 and 2017, LeBron earned $86million from wagers to endorsement, while he earned $85.5million between June 2017 and June 2018 and between June 2018 and June 2019 he further earned another $85million, but in 2019 till June 2021, his earning did improve which can be attributed to his contribution on LA Laker NBA triumph in 2020. And currently in 2021, LeBron James’s net worth is around $485 million
Career Earnings
During his first 10 seasons in the NBA, the four-time NBA most valuable player winner earned just over $126million in wages alone while he also earned an estimated $326million from endorsements deals during the same time spell. With such staggering and outstanding earning in his first decade as a professional basketball, that sums his first ten years total earning to $452million.
The Ohio born versatile basketball player as of 2021 has earned more than $600million in wages during the course of his career (before taxes and expenses). LeBron signed a two-year $85 million contract extension with the Lakers and by the end of this contract in 2023, LeBron James will have earned more than $430million in NBA salaries.
Endorsement deals
LeBron James with such a glittering career has endorsement deals with several companies which includes the likes of McDonalds, Microsoft, State Farm, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, Dunkin-Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Samsung, Nike and more.
In addition to endorsing Beats by Dre, LeBron acquired 1% of the company while he further earned royalty payments which was summed to $1 million during his years a spokesman and he earned additional $30million when the company acquired by Apple for $3 billion.
In fact, LeBron signed his first Nike endorsement deal at the age of 18 with which he earned $90 million over seven years, with an incredible $12.8 million per year. Although, he was actually offered $115million to sign with Reebok in that year but the King James today earns $20 million per year from Nike in the form of salary and royalty payments for his signature shoe line.
Furthermore, LeBron signed a lifetime endorsement deal with Nike in December 2015, which ultimately could be worth more than $1 billion. It is the very first lifetime deal Nike had ever offered and reportedly the largest deal in the company’s history.
Investments
With so much gruesome early life, James has certainly turned it around while he is providing the best care for his family and spending much on his health. The 4-time NBA champion has up his game by investing his into his future to secure more funds even after his retirement and with the lifetime deals with Nike, the first son of Gloria Marie will be having his family full of luxuries in years to come
Liverpool F.C
Although, it might have been the lifetime goal of the King James to own an NBA franchise team, he’ll have to make-do with owning a soccer/football team in the meantime.
In 2011, LeBron James struck a deal to acquire 2% stake in England’s Liverpool F.C. from the club’s majority owners, the Fenway Sports Group which own the Red Sox a baseball team in Major league. In the years since the deal was struck, Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League tournament and has grown to be worth $2 billion. LeBron’s stake is worth at least $40 million.
Blaze Pizza
In 2012 LeBron invested in Blaze Pizza. Although he was under contract with McDonald’s at the time of the contract but he actually turned down a contract extension with the Pizza giant franchise in 2017 with a contract worth of $15million so he could go all-in with Blaze Pizza and in 2021, the LA Lakers Starman owns at least 21 Blaze pizza franchises while the company is one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains of all time. LeBron’s equity stake at the company’s latest valuation is worth $45million.
SpringHill Entertainment
LeBron James with his friend, Maverick Carter co-founded a production company SpringHill Entertainment. The company has produced movies, documentaries and television shows with which the company is fastest production company for their recognition and authenticity in the entertainment industry.
