Basketball: LeBron James joins billionaires' club

LeBron James is the first active NBA player ever to reach that stratosphere. PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James has joined the billionaires' club, Sportico reported Thursday (July 22).

The "Space Jam: A New Legacy" star is the first active NBA player ever to reach that stratosphere.

James, 36, has earned US$330 million (S$448.6 million) in player salaries and another US$700 million off the court from endorsements, merchandising, licensing and his media business, according to the report.

His current endorsement partners include Nike, PepsiCo, AT&T, Walmart, GMC, Epic Games, Beats, Blaze Pizza and Rimowa.

The only other athletes to earn US$1 billion while still active are golfer Tiger Woods, boxer Floyd Mayweather, tennis star Roger Federer and football greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

A 17-time All-Star, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion, James averaged 25.0 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds in his third season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020-21.

On the NBA's all-time lists, James ranks third in points (35,367) and eighth in assists (9,696) through 18 seasons.

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