The Remarkable Journey of LeBron James: From the NBA to Billionaire Status

LeBron James was formally recognized as a billionaire in June 2022.

 

The basketball icon made history by becoming the first active player in the NBA to have a $1 billion net worth, per Forbes.

 

Before taxes and agent fees, James made $124.5 million in the 2022–2023 season, officially making him a billionaire, according to the site.

 

According to Forbes, only Michael Jordan is a billionaire in the basketball world. He attained this status in 2014, following his retirement.

 

In addition to his accomplishments in the corporate world and on the court, LeBron starred in the movie Space Jam: A New Legacy in 2021.

 

According to TMZ, he has a $1 billion lifetime contract with Nike. He also has agreements with AT&T, PepsiCo, and Walmart.

 

He started to own a portion of the Liverpool soccer team in 2011, and in 2021 he became one of the first Black partners in the history of the Fenway Sports Group.

 

His net worth is undoubtedly rising thanks to his lucrative NBA wages.

 

According to Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports, LeBron accepted a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension for the 2024–2025 season, which was announced to ESPN on Wednesday, August 17, 2022.

 

“The extension, which includes a 15% trade kicker, makes James the highest-earning player in NBA history with $532 million in career guaranteed money, surpassing Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant.”

 

But on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, James gave some thought to his 20th NBA season, hinting that this one might be his final one ever.

 

James stated to ESPN: “Going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.”

 

He hasn’t officially announced that he is retiring, but intentions to do so seem very likely.

 

It was revealed in 2021 that the basketball player had acquired a portion of the Boston Red Sox.

 

Journalist Michael Silverman of the Boston Globe tweeted, “Both he & Maverick Carter each join Fenway Sports Group as partners, first and only Black partners in FSG history.”

 

The Boston Globe reported that LeBron, one of the wealthiest and most prominent sportsmen in the world, “owns an undisclosed amount of FSG shares after previously holding an approximately 2 percent share of the Liverpool soccer franchise since 2011”.

 

James will become a part-owner of NESN, Roush Fenway Racing, and Fenway Sports Management in addition to being an FSG partner.

 

John Henry, the major owner of FSG, will continue to run the sports conglomerate.

Lakers Star D’Angelo Russell Finds Motivation in His Son to Overcome Every Match

D’Angelo Russell, the esteemed Lakers star, recently shared that his son serves as a constant source of motivation for him to overcome every match. Russell expressed how his deep love and responsibility as a father drive him to give his best on the basketball court. The presence of his son instills a sense of purpose and determination within him, pushing him to surpass challenges and perform at the highest level. Russell’s unwavering commitment to his team and his desire to make his son proud fuel his competitive spirit, inspiring him to overcome obstacles and leave a lasting impact in each game he plays.

 

 

 

Anthony Davis generously gifts car to local family at Kingsley House

In a remarkable act of kindness, NBA star Anthony Davis recently donated a car to a deserving local family at Kingsley House. Davis, known for his philanthropic efforts, demonstrated his commitment to making a positive impact in the community. The generous gesture provided the fortunate family with newfound mobility and convenience, offering them a means to navigate their daily lives more comfortably. Davis’ selfless act showcases his compassionate nature and his dedication to uplifting those in need, leaving a lasting impression on the recipients and inspiring others to pay it forward.

 

Lakers Prevail Over 76ers in an Ugly Game on Home Court

The Los Angeles Lakers returned to the floor on Friday night to play the Philadelphia 76ers, who were missing their reigning MVP Joel Embiid, following a much-needed break.

 

For the Lakers, every game is crucial at this stage of the season, and even if it wasn’t nice, they managed to defeat the 76ers 101-94.

 

After scoring the game’s first four points, Rui Hachimura added a triple to give the Lakers a 7-3 lead.

 

From there, Anthony Davis started to score inside the lane, but the 76ers made some adjustments on the offensive boards to tie the game.

 

D’Angelo Russell made back-to-back three-pointers around halfway through the first quarter, the first of which broke a tie with Nick Van Exel for the franchise’s all-time 3-point record. But after a defensive-heavy first quarter, the Lakers had a narrow 24-23 advantage.

 

The second saw LeBron James and Jaxson Hayes showcase their chemistry as the former found the latter for a slam and then the complete reverse occurred.

 

Still, both offenses struggled and played sloppily with the ball. Eventually, Tobias Harris took over, scoring five points in a row to tie the score at 43.

 

James and Kelly Oubre Jr. traded spectacular dunks to close the half, giving the 76ers a narrow 52–50 advantage as they headed to the locker room.

 

Austin Reaves made his first effort at a long range in the third quarter, although he missed it in the first half. However, the Lakers kept playing carelessly, and Mo Bamba made a long-range jump shot to give the 76ers a six-point advantage.

 

After that, Spencer Dinwiddie and Reaves each made a back-to-back triple, and the Lakers began to play. Then, in maybe his best offensive performance as a Laker, Dinwiddie added another. But the 76ers were still ahead 76-75 at the end of the third quarter.

 

The Lakers took the lead for the first time in the second half when Davis scored inside to start the fourth. From that point on, the referees permitted both teams to play physically, which led to a slugfest.

 

After a while, the Lakers began to pull away thanks to consecutive baskets from James and Davis that put them up five. After that, Davis made a three-point play, and James made a three-pointer to seal the victory.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James Dominate Pacers, Guiding Lakers to Victory

Sunday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers was a replay of the NBA In-Season Tournament final.

This matchup was crucial for both teams, who are vying for playoff seeds in their respective conferences, with just a few games remaining in the regular season. In the end, the Lakers emerged victorious in a high-scoring match, winning 150-145.

After the Pacers made back-to-back three-pointers to start the game, the Lakers responded by feeding Anthony Davis inside to establish an early 10-8 lead.

Due to an illness, D’Angelo Russell was unable to play prior to tipoff. Spencer Dinwiddie took his place and scored five points quickly. However, the Pacers were playing at a good tempo, outlasting the Lakers to the hoop for several simple baskets in transition.

In particular, Pascal Siakam was making it his mission to get to the hoop, where he scored a monster slam and committed several fouls.

After a strong first quarter in which Davis scored 15 points and pulled down eight boards, Doug McDermott heated up late to give the Pacers a 36-30 lead.

LeBron James started the second quarter on the attack following a quiet first. The Lakers took the lead once more when he found Max Christie for a three. It was brief, though, as the Pacers quickly answered with a 9-0 run.

From then, Austin Reaves scored a three-point play and two more nice baskets to spark a Laker rally. After that, Taurean Prince joined in the scoring, scoring five baskets in a row, and the Lakers eventually led 72-68 going into the halftime break.

Picking up where he left off, Dinwiddie made back-to-back triples to start the third quarter. Reaves entered the fray, and the Lakers jumped out to their first double-digit lead of the game.

From then on, Indiana was still troubled by L.A.’s size since Davis and James were able to obtain anything they wanted inside. With the Lakers winning every game and leading 116-99 going into the fourth, Davis even hit a three-pointer.

Early in the fourth quarter, with James and Davis sitting on the bench, the Pacers quickly reduced their deficit to 11, forcing the Lakers to call a timeout.

From that point on, the Pacers kept making little cuts, and with a few minutes remaining, the Lakers’ margin shrank to four.

From there, however, L.A.’s studs came through with a corner triple from James and a layup from Davis to quickly lead 5-0. From then, they were able to seal the deal and win three games in a row.

Light Skin F**cker Came Into the League”: LeBron James on Stephen Curry Changing 1 Big NBA Tradition Like Pat Mahomes

 

Every diehard basketball fan would love to indulge in intricate details about a player and a game. Not just like a regular talk show where they regularly debate subjective opinions, LA star LeBron James and former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick‘s new podcast is set to change that trend. ‘Mind the Game’ is created to be a pure conversation about basketball. Airing their first episode today, hosts James and Reddick dived directly to a simple question, “What makes a great basketball player?” What caught most viewers’ attention was when the conversation transitioned to the 3-point revolution that Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors pioneered in the early 2010s.

As they explored the subject of influence in the NBA, they placed the spotlight on Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson as game-changers. Reddick mentioned, “With the three ball, we’ve seen it so often now, no lead is really safe.” The 39-year-old remembered the time when he entered the league and said, “… I played no minutes my first two years. But you know what if we had a 19-point lead going to the fourth, I might get all 12 minutes of garbage time…” Both LeBron and JJ Redick agreed that teams would clear their benches 15 years ago if they were leading the game by double-digit points. However, that can’t happen in the modern NBA.

King James provided the reason as to why that can’t happen today. James said, “I believe in 08/09, whenever that little light-skinned f*cker came in the league. He changed that whole narrative. He single-handedly changed the no lead is safe. It’s like Pat Mahomes right now.”  The Chiefs QB at 28 is already inching toward the record set by Tom Brady. Mahomes now has 3 Super Bowls, 2 league MVPs, 3 Super Bowl MVPs, and 6 Pro Bowl honorees to his name in just 7 NFL seasons.

It was interesting for JJ Reddick to see how Mahomes got into the picture as a comparison. However, he said he didn’t think anyone else influenced the game as much as Curry did. LeBron agreed right away, “When it comes to influence since I’ve been watching the game… Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching and covering it. One, they’re 6’3″/6’4″  if you want to look on the back of the basketball card, you know you always a lot taller on the back of the back of the basketball card.”

King James mentioned that Curry and Iverson broke stereotypes, owing to their normal human size but had extraordinary abilities. Kids could see themselves in these players. The Lakers star said, “Allen Iverson and Steph., they were just so relatable, and kids felt like they could be them. They were guys that was not always counted on, they were small in stature, and they just defied the odds… Those two are the two most influential when you play the game, how they changed the game, and the [impact on] kids, those are two guys that you just wanted to watch every single night.”

James entered the podcast world along with ESPN analyst JJ Redick to innovate sports media. The hosts are the producers themselves for the show with their two companies, James’ Uninterrupted and Redick’s ThreeFourTwo Productions. The very first episode released on YouTube gained thousands of views within just an hour. LeBron James and JJ Redick’s insights about the players and the game have given the viewers an idea of how basketball-centric the show is.

Stephen Curry’s impact on the league cannot be understated. The NBA witnessed a dimensional shift during the initial stages of Curry’s career. However, for the longest time, it looked like recurring ankle injuries hampered Curry’s burgeoning career.

Stephen Curry’s three-point revolution transformed the NBA landscape

The 36-year-old simply revolutionized the offensive and defensive strategies and tactics within the league. The game went from an isolation-heavy style of play to a team-oriented, ball-movement style of play within just a couple of seasons. Of course, teams like the 7-seconds-or-less Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs played a similar brand of basketball before. But, it was Curry and the Warriors’ emphasis on three-point shooting that truly transformed the modern game, and statistics back this up.

Between 1979 and 1991, NBA players collectively made 28,926 three-pointers. Remarkably, during the 2022-23 season alone, teams and players surpassed this total, recording a staggering 30,359 successful shots from downtown. As a result, the average distance from the rim has climbed from 12.2 feet (in Curry’s rookie season) to 14.3 during the 2021-22 season.

The pace of the game has also significantly increased as a ripple effect of Curry’s 3-point revolution. Before Stephen Curry entered the league, the average pace was around 90. However, it has risen to an average of 98 in recent seasons. The increase in the pace of NBA games has resulted in more possessions and led to more offensive basketball. Just a decade ago, the Clippers had the highest offensive rating by a team in 2013-14, with a 112.1 rating. However, by standards of the 2023-24 season, this rating would rank as the sixth-lowest offensive performance.

Some people hate Stephen Curry for pioneering the 3-Point revolution, some love him. But no one can argue with the impact that Steph has had on the NBA. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!

LeBron James Made Los Angeles Lakers History Against Warriors

LeBron James made Los Angeles Lakers history during Saturday’s game.

 

On Saturday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers are playing the Golden State Warriors (at home).

During the game, four-time NBA Champion LeBron James made Lakers history by moving ahead of Derek Fisher (2,685) for 11th on the team’s all-time assists list.

Following Fisher, the next player for James to pass will be Nick Van Exel (2,749).

James is in his sixth season playing for the Lakers and is currently averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 52.7% from the field and 40.3% from the three-point range in 58 games.

The Lakers came into the evening as the ninth seed in the Western Conference with a 36-31 record in 67 games.

They have gone 6-4 over their last ten games and most recently lost to the Sacramento Kings by a score of 120-107.

James had 18 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and two steals while shooting 6/16 from the field and 2/8 from the three-point range in 40 minutes of playing time.

At 39 years old, he is still averaging an incredible 35.2 minutes of playing time per game.

Following the Warriors, the Lakers will play their next game on Monday evening when they host the Atlanta Hawks.

James joined the Lakers in the summer of 2018, and he has helped them make the NBA playoffs three times.

They won the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat and are coming off a year where they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

LeBron James gets 1.3 million YouTube views in one day with first episode of new podcast

 

LeBron James is continuing to expand his presence on social video platforms. The four-time MVP is the co-host of Mind the Game, a podcast that has drawn a large audience since its arrival on YouTube on March 19.

Mind the Game features the basketball-related musings of King James and retired sharpshooter J.J. Redick. In the first episode of their show, the two hardcourt vets discuss the recipe for a success basketball player. That open-ended question leads into a wide-ranging conversation that covers numerous NBA topics, including the current fate of James’ Los Angeles Lakers.

James is arguably the most famous athlete in the world, so it’s not surprising that the first episode of his new podcast drew 1.3 million views in a single day and brought 227,000 subscribers to Mind The Game‘s home channel. Cut-down clips from the episode are also bringing in traffic across YouTube’s long-form and short-form formats.

The launch of a video podcast represents a new creative direction for James. The NBA legend’s previous YouTube shows were high-budget docuseries produced by James’ Uninterrupted brand. With Mind The Game, co-producers Uninterrupted and ThreeFourTwo are hopping on the trend of YouTube video podcasts. James’ Mind The Game co-host knows a thing or two about successful podcasts; Redick’s show The Old Man and the Three has become a trusted source for basketball news, bringing more than one million subscribers to the Duke alum’s official YouTube channel.

By teaming up with Redick, James is showing that his legendary awareness extends far beyond the basketball court. He is paying attention to the formats that are driving product innovations and brand deals on platforms like YouTube, and his reward has been massive viewership (so far).

Don’t expect James to limit his digital media ventures to a single podcast. He has also indicated his interest in video game streaming, whether it be on YouTube, Twitch, or Kick. And a recent deal between James’ Lakers and Logan Paul‘s Prime Hydration has led to rumors that the two Northeast Ohio natives will meet in a wrestling match.

LeBron James gifts every member of March Madness team Duquesne a new pair of sneakers ahead of their first NCAA Tournament game since 1977

LeBron James gifted a pair of shoes to every member of Duquesne’s men’s basketball team ahead of the Dukes first NCAA Tournament game since 1977 on Thursday.

 

Duquesne had to win the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament to book a place in March Madness and did so by winning four games in five days, including over the conference’s regular-season champions, Dayton.

James’ gift to Duquesne was not just out of appreciation. His first high school coach at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, Keith Dambrot, is at the Dukes’ helm.

Dambrot is retiring from coaching at the end of this season to take care of his wife, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

For the biggest game for the Dukes in almost a half-century, James gifted each player a pair of his Nike LeBron XXI shoes.

Duquesne’s basketball players celebrate their new shoes courtesy of LeBron James

James purchased each of his Nike-branded shoes for every member of the Dukes roster

Appreciate it King 🙏@DuqMBB x @KingJames pic.twitter.com/yTiQFMBno0

— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) March 20, 2024

The shoes are blue and grey, while Duquesne’s colors are navy and red. While the Dukes may not wear the gifted shoes during March Madness, each player to receive the shoes appeared elated.

Duquesne earned a No 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play BYU on Thursday with its season on the line.

The Dukes have not advanced beyond the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 1969, when the program last made the Sweet 16.

Dambrot has never led a team to victory in the NCAA Tournament, but the Dukes have the highest seed of any team he has coached in March Madness.

During his tenure at Akron, the Zips qualified for three NCAA Tournaments.

WATCH: LeBron James and Savannah James kiss courtside as Lakers star produces wholesome moment with family

 

LeBron James produced a wholesome moment as he took time out of his halftime shootaround during the Pacers-Lakers game to hang out with his wife, Savannah James, and daughter, Zhuri. James was spotted sharing a light-hearted moment with the two as he embraced them with hugs and kisses.

Savannah and the kids have frequently taken time out of their schedules whenever possible to see James in action for the Lakers this season. It has been an up-and-down road for the James family’s head of the table and his team, but the unwavering support from his loved ones has remained constant.

Here’s the video of LeBron James kissing Savannah, with Zhuri also in attendance:

The Lakers withstood a solid half against the Pacers, completing a 12-point turnaround to take a six-point lead at the break. LA has looked solid over its past few games, winning back-to-back contests against the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers.

They seem poised to extend that streak to three games against the Pacers, with a 16-point lead in the third quarter.

Fans troll LeBron James after a viral pic with Savannah James from USC game

LeBron James and Savannah James have shut down trolls over the past few days for speculating that they had issues between them. It started with a viral video of James and Jeanie Buss getting physically affectionate during the Bucks-Lakers game on Mar. 8.

Fans trolled James, suggesting Savannah wouldn’t be too excited about the situation and that the incident would cause problems between the couple. The speculation grew after James and Savannah were pictured with strained facial expressions at son Bronny James’ USC game.

James and Savannah put those rumors to bed after the former posted a picture with his wife from the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. It was followed by an Instagram video of James, Savannah and Zhuri dancing together.

 

LeBron James and Savannah James’ latest viral moment at the Pacers-Lakers game will only put further doubts about the couple’s feelings towards each other to bed.

LeBron James reflects on sacrificing family time to achieve greatness

James recently started his podcast, with JJ Redick, called ‘Mind The Game.’ During their first episode on Tuesday, James shared strong sentiments about players ‘loosely’ using the word discipline about greatness. The Lakers star reflected on it, saying that discipline is more than showing up to work.

It extends beyond that, including sacrificing family time nearly daily, he said.

“Discipline. People use that word so loosely. You have to sacrifice loved ones for a long period of time if you want to be great,” James aid.

James reflected on his schedule and inability to give time to his family even when he’s at home, mostly recovering from the physical toll his body takes, or at the gym working out to stay in shape.