LeBron James’ Net Worth, Salary, and How He Spends His Money

James has made $479.5 million during his 21-year NBA career, per Spotrac. He also signed a two-year, $97 million extension with the Lakers with a payout of $47.6 million for the 2023-2024 season and $51.4 million the following year.

When his latest extension is up, James will have made more money via NBA salaries than any other player in the history of the league. His $97.1 million contract extension will push him to a stunning $532 million guaranteed over the course of his entire career, per ESPN.

The King led all athletes with $126.9 million in on- and off-court earnings in 2022, per Sportico. He earned $36.9 million from the Lakers and another $90 million from sponsors and other off-court ventures.

In 2023, James ranked fourth on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes — just behind five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, World Cup champion Lionel Messi, and French soccer star Kylian Mbappé — with $119.5 million total earnings.

LeBron’s been featured in many commercials for those brands over his decades of superstardom.

At one point, James — an Ohio native and massive fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes — gifted the entire football team new $350 Beats headphones. Ahead of the 2023-2024 NBA season, the brand signed the rest of James’ family — including his wife Savannah, basketball-playing sons Bronny and Bryce, and 9-year-old daughter Zhuri — to endorsement deals of their own, per Adweek.

As soon as James left high school for the pros, Nike signed him to a seven-year, $93 million deal. The sponsorship was wildly successful for both parties so, in December 2015, Nike signed him to a lifetime deal.

James’ limitless agreement with the brand goes far beyond the standard shoe endorsement. And Maverick Carter — the King’s longtime business partner — seemingly confirmed to GQ Style that James inked the deal for north of $1 billion.

The King’s logo is pasted on virtually every surface of the facility on Nike’s Beaverton, Oregon, campus. Dubbed the “LeBron James Innovation Center,” the building serves as a hub for improving the athlete experience through research, engineering, and more.

According to Forbes, James officially hit the 10-figure mark in 2022 when his net worth hit exactly $1 billion. The outlet estimates that he has earned “upwards of $900 million in income from endorsements and other business ventures.”

The Hustle estimates that James makes about $428,000 per sponsored Instagram post, and with an audience of 158 million followers, it makes sense that brands would want to capitalize on all of those eyes.

He gave up $15 million when he chose not to renew the deal with the Golden Arches in 2017, according to Forbes.

James is pretty savvy with his money, and he’ll often opt for a long-term investment opportunity over a short-term chunk of change. Such was the case when he opted to buy into Blaze Pizza rather than sticking with McDonald’s.

The Lakers star invested in the chain early on and, once his deal with the burger giant ended, he chose to use his likeness to promote the company. He’s made back his initial investment 25 times over.

Much like Chipotle or Subway, Blaze Pizza emphasizes customization. Customers build pizzas, choosing from seven cheeses, eight proteins, 20 vegetables, and three sauces, Jim Mizes, the president and chief operating officer, told Insider.

James had first agreed to a partnership with PepsiCo’s main competitor, Coca-Cola, during his rookie season in 2003. He long endorsed its Sprite and Powerade brands, and even boasted his own custom soda: “Sprite 6 Mix by Lebron James.”

But in 2021, six years after Coca-Cola’s 28-year reign as the official food and beverage partner of the NBA came to an end, James followed the league’s lead and inked a deal with Pepsi. Since then, he’s become the face of Mountain Dew for the brand.

He likes to carry around a bottle in a custom leather satchel designed by Sheron Barber, as was the case at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. A bottle of Lobos 1707 tequila can go for up to $160.

Cleveland residents didn’t just lose out on the money they’d paid for the jerseys they burned after James left the Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2018; experts asserted that his departure was a huge blow to the city’s economy.

Unsurprisingly, the franchise sells far more seats for games when the point-forward is a member of their team. But James’ impact transcended the team itself, with one economist telling TIME he was worth half a billion to Cleveland’s economy.

A study led by Harvard professor Daniel Shoag calculated that James increased employment in food and beverage establishments the area surrounding Cleveland’s home arena — Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — by a whopping 23.5%.

James bought a 2% stake of Liverpool FC, the esteemed English Premier League club, for about $6.5 million. His share has grown to be worth many, many times that initial investment.

He doubled down in 2021, buying into Fenway Sports Group — Liverpool FC’s parent company — to become a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox. Prior to making the deal, James was an outspoken fan of the New York Yankees — the Red Sox’s famed rivals.

“People really do have minds that function better than other people’s in certain areas that you can’t give a test for,” the famed investory told USA TODAY Sports. “And LeBron, in addition to a lot of other talents, he has a money mind. And he gets stuff.”

“He can separate out the cream from the crap, and you get more of the latter proposed to you than you do of the former,” Buffett added of James. “You really have to be able to suss it out.”

James and his business partner, Maverick Carter, launched their media company, “Uninterrupted,” early in 2015. Blending the worlds of sports and lifestyle, the platform took inspiration from “The Players Tribune” by offering original and exclusive content directly from star athletes themselves.

The venture immediately caught the attention of several giants of the industry and, by the end of the year, Warner Bros. Entertainment — along with existing partner Turner Sports — made a multi-million-dollar investment in the brand.

The Lakers superstar sold a “significant” minority stake of the company in a 2021 deal that valued SpringHill at a whopping $725 million, per Deadline. The new partnerships were meant to enable James and company to expand into new markets, including the metaverse.

James and the SpringHill company spearheaded a follow-up to Michael Jordan’s iconic “Space Jam” film. Released over the summer of 2021, the highly anticipated sequel featured starred James himself and fellow basketball superstars Dame Lillard, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Diana Taurasi, and Nneka Ogwumike as his “Goon Squad” foes.

Though it disappointed at the box office, James earned rave reviews as a leading man.

James and Arnold Schwarzenegger are part of a group that invested in Georgetown Company and Bill Ackman’s office building in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. Located at 787 Eleventh Avenue, the renovated building overlooks the Hudson River and offers more than 500,000 square feet of luxury office space. 

James’ longtime friend, Rich Paul, founded Klutch Sports Group in 2012. With James as one of the company’s original signees, Kltuch has grown into one of the most powerful agencies in the sports world and represents some of the top athletes in men’s and women’s basketball and beyond.

Rumors have long swirled that James bought into the ownership group as part of his deal to join the then-aspiring agency, but the NBA reportedly investigated such accusations and did not find any evidence that James was, in fact, an owner.

At one point, he and Dwyane Wade have matching Porsches. It’s unclear who had which color.

James’ tricked-out car even had TVs in the seats, according to photos posted on his Instagram.

James doesn’t just hog the luxury vehicles for himself. As he shared on Instagram at the time, the basketball superstar bought his mother — who raised him on her own — a Porsche of her own for her birthday a few years back.

When it came time to celebrate his wife Savannah’s birthday, James pulled a similar move. This time, he gifted one of the most important women in his life a Ferrari Testarossa.

“What A Night and what makes me happy more than anything is putting a smile on your face!” James wrote in his Instagram caption. “Took me a long time to find your masterpiece but I wouldn’t stop until I did and now I can’t wait to watch u cruise off into the sunset on the PCH.”

Insider has previously reported that James may have several Ferraris parked in his garage.

James, who is sponsored by the Korean car brand, drives a custom K900 luxury sedan. The car, which has his personal logo emblazoned on each wheel, is far from your typical Kia.

In addition to posting about the massive car on Instagram, James has starred in several commercials for the brand.

Fans spotted him driving the speedy sportscar on a highway in Los Angeles.

James’ bigger car — likely used for transporting his family — has customized headrests featuring his logo and a big-screen TV that’s perfect for watching “Tom & Jerry” on the go.

You might assume that, at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, James might resort to other modes of transportation — like his many lavish cars. But he’s famously an avid biker and was even once spotted pedaling his way to a home game in Miami.

James and Carter reportedly spent roughly $30 million to invest in the Germany-based cycling brand back in 2022, per Front Office Sports.

The six-bedroom home came complete with an infinity pool that overlooks Biscayne Bay, a maze of terraces, a movie room, and a massive primary suite. James later sold the luxurious pad for a $4 million profit.

The stunning home — located in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood — has 10 bedrooms, an onyx bar, and a high-end game room among many other luxury features.

James’ former teammate and close friend, Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, once called the King “the cheapest guy in the NBA.” James replied that the accusation “is so, so, so, so falsely true.”

The billionaire refuses to use his phone if it is not on wifi.

“No, I’m not doing that,” James once said. “I’m not turning on data roaming, I’m not buying no apps, I still got Pandora with commercials.”

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

James reportedly spends more than $1.5 million per year just to take care of his body, and that’s likely only increasing as he ages. Like many professional athletes, he has a full gym, ice tub and hot tub, and hyperbaric chamber in his home.

But James also employs a team of health gurus, including a former Navy SEAL who serves as his biomechanist, a recovery coach, personal chefs, and masseuses. That’s all in addition to what his team offers at their facilities.

“Where a lot of people don’t do it, he puts a lot of money behind taking care of his body,” his former Cavs teammate, Mike Miller, said, per Bleacher Report. “A lot of people think it’s a big expense, but that big expense has allowed him to make a lot more money for a long period of time.”

James goes to one of the most exclusive tattoo artists in the country — Bang Bang Tattoos in New York City — for his ink. The brand charges a minimum of $500 per hour.

Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy’s other customers include Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry, per NPR.

James reportedly bought his wife Savannah an engagement ring that was worth a whopping $300,000. He posted a photo of her wearing the rock on Instagram.

LeBron James Jr. — who publicly goes by “Bronny” — was born during his dad’s second season in the NBA. Next came Bryce James and, a few years later, LeBron and Savannah had daughter Zhuri. 

Bronny considered three different Division I programs — all sponsored by Nike, of course — for his collegiate basketball career before deciding to join the USC Trojans. As soon as he stepped foot on campus, he became the highest-paid college athlete in the country through NIL.

James has publicly expressed his hopes that he can compete alongside Bronny in the NBA. But both James’ wife, Savannah, told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Ballard that they had no idea about James’ plan until he stated it publicly.

“No, we hadn’t talked about it,” Savannah said. “I mean, yes, because obviously you ask the boys what they want to be when they’re 10, 11 years old. I want to be in the NBA. And I think that’s just something that was near and dear to LeBron’s heart.”

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. The school also offers job placement for parents, an on-location food bank, programs to help students cope with family-related stress, free bikes for every student, and activities to help kids fill time, among other offerings.

James also launched the LeBron James Family Foundation, which pledged about $41 million dollars to send more than 1,000 students to the University of Akron.

Additionally, James has supported “More Than a Vote,” a campaign that encourages voting. The organization even has merchandise, which James rocked before a 2020 playoff game, per Instagram.

The basketball world was on heightened alert on October 6, 2025, after James teased that an announcement akin to his infamous 2010 TV special was in the works.

Some fans quickly grabbed tickets to the Lakers’ upcoming games, perhaps expecting a retirement tour akin to Yankees great Derek Jeter’s prolonged sendoff in 2014. On secondary markets, ticket prices shot up drastically. Stubhub said there was a “20x” jump in Lakers’ ticket sales.

However, on October 7, James revealed that the announcement was an ad for a “limited edition” collaboration with Hennessy Cognac.

“y’all got LeBron’d. after he hinted he might be retiring, there was a 20x jump in Lakers ticket sales,” Stubhub wrote on X.

James is 41 and in the final year of his Lakers contract. He had previously expressed a desire to play alongside his son Bronny. They accomplished the feat in October 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to play together in the league.