Whether or not you’re a fan of NBA, you know who Lebron James is. Lebron James is a legendary NBA player and for many NBA fans, the best NBA player ever, next to almighty Michael Jordan. Although he’s still active, Lebron James has very high chances of finishing his career as the best NBA player at the moment and perhaps the best player ever. Lebron recently stated that he will not be playing for Cavaliers again and that he’s going to sign up with a new team – Los Angeles Lakers. Lebron got a lucrative contract there, which eventually led to him signing up.
Lebron James also played 8 consecutive NBA finals, so we know that this isn’t his first big contract and chances are, that it also isn’t the last. Lebron’s career is perhaps one of the best of any sports, so let’s take a detailed look at his career, as well as his net worth.
Lebron James’ Career
Since he was a child Lebron James was destined to succeed in this sport. Even during his high school, James received numerous distinctions and awards, accompanied by his features in magazines. His overwhelming talent eventually led him to financial awards, which started to build up his net worth. Over the first 16 years of his career, Lebron James made over $269.6 million, as claimed by Sportrac. As for his 2019-2020 salary, expectations are that the will made over $307 million. Since his contract with Los Angeles Lakers will last four years, his career earnings from the NBA are expected to be $387 million and this might not be his last contract.
The Cavaliers
However, let’s take a look at the beginning of his career. At college, Lebron James decided not to play in the college team and was moved to draft. In 2003, Lebron signed with the Cavaliers, which is a local team for the Akron native. Quickly after that, he was prompted to sign a contract for 3 years for $12.9 million and he was also given the option to extend it to the fourth year. Just after one season, this option was accepted by Lebron. As a rookie at that time, Lebron averaged about 21 points per game in the first year of the contract, only to increase his average the next year, which led him to his first All-Star team. In the fourth year, his average was 31 points per game, which took Cavaliers to the playoffs. Cavaliers weren’t in the playoffs for 7 straight years before Lebron. Throughout those years, LeBron was training hard, says bballworld.com
Because of his supreme play and efforts, in 2006, James was given an option to extend the contract for three more years for $60 million, which he accepted. The team didn’t regret the decision, as James took the most credit for bringing them to the finals, where they, unfortunately, lost against the Spurs. The next three seasons were great for Cavaliers, as they participated in the playoffs each year, with Lebron winning his first two league MVPs. However, James grew more and more frustrated because the Cavaliers weren’t able to do anything without him, so he left them.
Miami Heat
Soon after he left the Cavaliers, James joined the Miami Heat, where he was noticed by the famous live television event called The Decision, and quickly became a superstar. Now, Lebron didn’t completely turn to Miami Heat because the Cavaliers traded him with a sign-and-trade contract signed by Lebron. This means that Lebron would sign a 6-year contract for $110 million, which worked out great for Miami Heat, as they won the championship, including some finals appearances, where they won two times. In the first for years with Miami Heat, Lebron won his next two MVPs and was at the All-Star Game each year. In those seasons, Sportac claims that he made around $64 million.
Return to Cavaliers
When his contract expired in 2014, Lebron James decided to be a free agent. After some thinking, he signed a 2-year contract for $42.2 million with the Cavaliers because he wanted to win a championship for his city. Although the Cavaliers struggled without James, his appearance brought them to the finals, where they lost to Golden State Warriors. In 2015, the team went to participate in a rematch with the Warriors. With lots of struggle, the Cavaliers managed to win their first-ever championship and of course, Lebron James was the MVP.
With his goal fulfilled, James signed a 3-year contract with Cleveland for $100 million. As expected, the team made it to the finals for two consecutive years but once again, lost to Golden State Warriors, as they had another superstar Kevin Durant.
Nike Contract
Lebron James signed his most lucrative contract with Nike back in 2003 for $90 million. In the beginning, it was a 7-year contract, where Lebron James acted as an ambassador to the brand, and he had multiple shoe lines. In 2015, Lebron was awarded a lifetime deal with Nike which was worth around $1 billion. The only two players that ever received this deal are Cristiano Ronaldo, a famous soccer player, and Michael Jordan, an NBA superstar. Now, Lebron James is the third one to get it.
Lebron James Net Worth
So, what is Lebron James’ net worth? At the end of 2018, it was estimated by Forbes that his net worth is around $450 million. For comparison, this net worth is higher than one of Tom Brady, an NFL superstar, and almost on par with Cristiano Ronaldo. Thanks to his jaw-dropping talent, Lebron James was able to almost singlehandedly win the matches. A quality player such as Lebron deserved a net worth so high. Due to his refined play and tremendous quality, he will be remembered as one of the best basketball players to ever step on a court.
