As of 2021, LeBron James had a net worth of nearly 1 billion dollars. He is on track to becoming a billionaire, which would make him the second basketball player after Michael Jordan to do so.
But contrary to what you might think, “The King” didn’t get all this money just from playing basketball. What many fans don’t know is that LeBron is also a successful businessman. His millions also come from his LeBron James companies, which range from sports to entertainment.
LeBron’s business career can be inspiring to sports fans and young entrepreneurs alike. He proves that the secret to financial success isn’t just earning money—it’s investing in it wisely, too.
Let’s take a closer look at LeBron’s various business ventures so that we can all get inspired by his success!
1. Nike LeBron Sneakers
Air Jordans aren’t the only sneaker collab you should look out for. Nike is one of the biggest LeBron James sponsors, with endorsement deals for shoes and clothing.
LeBron’s shoes are different from Jordans because they’re specifically made to be high-performance. This makes LeBron James sneakers great for basketball players. They’re also great for everyday people who want supportive shoes for high-impact sports (discover more here).
LeBron released his first shoe with Nike in 2003, called the Nike Air Zoom Generation. These shoes used two of Nike’s best cushioning technologies for the front of the shoe and the heel: Nike Air and Nike Air Zoom.
Today, LeBron has released over 18 shoe models with Nike. Not only are the designs some of the most innovative you can find, but some also support charitable causes like breast cancer.
LeBron reportedly makes $30 million per year from his Nike deals, so this continues to be a huge part of his net worth.
2. Fenway Sports Group
The biggest LeBron James business is his investment in the sports company Fenway Sports Group. He invested in this company with his long-term business partner, Maverick Carter.
Fenway Sports Group is the parent company of a major league baseball team: The Boston Red Sox. Since James and Carter invested so much into Fenway Sports Group, they’re now part owners of the Boston Red Sox.
Fenway Sports Group is also the parent company of a soccer club called Liverpool S.C.
Since LeBron and Carter have invested so much into Fenway, they can now be part of the decision-making for these two sports teams.
3. SpringHill Entertainment
LeBron’s entertainment company is his first foray into filmmaking and movies.
LeBron named the company after the housing complex he lived in when he was a child. Despite his millions, this homage shows that LeBron never forgot his humble beginnings. His mother had him when she was only 16, and she struggled to provide for both of them.
LeBron also founded SpringHill with Maverick Carter, who is the chairman of the company. Although they recently sold minority shares to some large investors, the two still have the majority share in the company.
So far, SpringHill is known for Space Jam: A New Legacy, a talk show called The Shop, and a show called Shut Up and Dribble.
Since LeBron and Carter sold the minority shares, they have a lot more money to invest in other exciting projects. These include new shows, programming in other countries, and investing in content creators.
4. Uninterrupted Platform
Uninterrupted is LeBron’s own media company. He started it after a news anchor went on a rant about LeBron’s political interests. He saw an opportunity and decided that he wanted to control the media narrative about him.
This led him to think about what other athletes thought about their own media narratives. So with Uninterrupted, he gives athletes a platform to tell their own stories in their own words.
While Uninterrupted started as short social media videos, it’s now turned into a podcast and a few feature-length films.
5. Blaze Pizza
Who knew that an NBA star would be so passionate about pizza? This investment into Blaze Pizza chains is one of the most unexpected LeBron James investments.
LeBron started this investment in 2012 with a few other business partners. Together, they invested around $1 million into Blaze Pizza, which was a small pizza chain at the time.
Thanks to the investment, the chain grew quickly. LeBron still tweets about the chain from time to time as his investment grows!
In 2019, LeBron starred in a Blaze Pizza commercial filmed in his hometown of Akron.
The humorous commercial featured LeBron pretending to be “Ron,” a pizza salesman handing out Blaze’s new large pizzas. This was a great way for LeBron to leverage his celebrity while being an active part of the company he’s investing in.
6. Ladder Sports Nutrition
LeBron knows more than anyone how important good nutrition is for athletes. That’s why he founded Ladder Sports Nutrition, which he created with his trainer, Mike Mancias.
The purpose of Ladder Nutrition is to make supplements that are certified for sports. They are made for high-performance athletes and are meant to be used every day.
Ladder has everything from pre-workout supplements to premium plant proteins.
To promote Ladder, LeBron partnered with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s a legendary bodybuilder!
7. Philanthropy: I Promise School
Business isn’t the only thing that LeBron invests his money into.
He also puts a lot of money into philanthropy and his charity called the LeBron James Family Foundation.
With the help of his foundation, LeBron founded the I Promise School in Akron, where he grew up.
The idea behind the school is to take the most at-risk and worst-performing students and give them a better future.
The school itself is funded by the school district. But LeBron’s foundation pays for the school’s other facilities. These include a family resource center, extra teaching staff, and after-school tutors.
Which of These LeBron James Companies Was New to You?
Did any of these LeBron James companies surprise you?
Despite LeBron’s large business portfolio, he always makes sure to have a stake in all his companies. This guarantees that he can make decisions in his companies and give them the best chance of growth.
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