LeBron James close to emerging fifth-ever billionaire sportsman

 

LeBron James is reportedly set to become the fifth-ever billionaire sportsman in the coming weeks.

NBA star James has shone on the court for 18 years though also has plenty of other business ventures.

He signed a two-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers on the eve of the current season which is believed to be worth $85m.

And Forbes say he is about the reach the $1bn earnings in total with $95.4m coming this year.

From that, a huge $64m is coming from his media work, endorsements, and memorabilia.

It will make James the fifth sportsman to achieve the billion dollar mark, behind Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Floyd Mayweather.

James has previously spoken about his desire to reach the magic money mark, saying: “It’s my biggest milestone.

“Obviously. I want to maximise my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I’m gonna be excited.”

James has plenty of endorsement deals, including reportedly with McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Nike.

He signed his first deal with Nike at the age of 18, with it reportedly paying $12.8m per year over seven years.

James also has an investment in reigning Premier League champions Liverpool receiving a two per cent stake in 2011.

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His stake was initially believed to be worth $6.5m, though following the Reds’ title achievements, it has been reported that it rose to a massive $43.6m.

On his love for the club, James previously said: “Any time you have so much history and so much power behind their story, there is great potential to continue that expansion.