With news coming out about a potential strategic investment, LeBron James seems more poised than ever to become a billionaire.
According to Variety, the modern-day basketball great is set to partner with a group led by RedBird Capital for investment into his SpringHill Entertainment company. The outlet reports that the consortium — which includes investments from Nike — won’t obtain a full acquisition of the company, but will infuse quite a bit of necessary capital.
“While this deal will be structured differently from, say, the recent $900 million transactions around Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, it places SpringHill firmly in the mix of the M&A craze consuming Hollywood,” Variety reports.
Additionally, YouTube Originals has announced “I Promise,” a feature documentary film from award-winning director, Marc Levin, that tells the story of LeBron James’ efforts to close the achievement gap in his hometown of Akron, OH through the eyes of the inspiring students who are resetting expectations of their futures. The film premieres Thursday, Sept. 28 at 12 p.m. EST / 9 a.m. PST on the YouTube Originals channel.
This boss move is just the latest for LeBron James, who has an estimated $850 million net worth (as of this writing), according to Forbes. He’s also listed at No. 5 on the world’s highest-paid athletes, and No. 39 on the Forbes list of the world’s richest entrepreneurs (Not bad for a man who got his start after a serendipitous meeting in an airport with Rich Paul — the man who would become his agent, manager, and friend). What’s more, James has the NBA’s top endorsement portfolio, and one of the most impressive year-over-year salaries in the league. And this is to say nothing about his various sponsorships, endorsements and other streams of income. The Bron Reign seems to just be getting started — so it’s no wonder that the man has a nearly cult-like following.
In a nutshell, he’s truly one of the greatest basketball players of all time — as well as one of the wisest investors off the court.
Let’s take a look at how LeBron James has prowess both on and off the court, and what that means for his net worth. If these investments continue the way they’re going, James will be well on his way to billionaire status. And of course, we love to see it!
Editorial note: Lebron James’ net worth has been updated to reflect a more recent Forbes report.
Sponsorships and Endorsements
According to Forbes, LeBron James has a wide variety of endorsements and sponsorships that put a handsome paycheck in his bank account. AT&T, 2K Sports, Beats Electronics, Calm, GMC, Nike, PepsiCo, RIMOWA and Walmart are just a few of the many companies that give Bron a check.
Investments
According to ClutchPoints, LeBron James recently invested in a new media company called “Uninterrupted” with his partner Maverick Carter. The outlet reports that Uninterrupted came about after Fox News commentators snarked that James should just “shut up and dribble” instead of sharing his political views.
In 2018, James teamed up with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cindy Crawford and Lindsey Vonn to co-found Ladder, a health and wellness company.
SpringHill Entertainment
According to Yahoo, LeBron James is the founder of SpringHill Entertainment, which has a wide variety of film and television shows under its belt. The company’s productions have appeared on Netflix, HBO, Disney+, Apple+, CBS, NBC, ABC, and ESPN.
Recently, SpringHill announced that they were partnering with Clubhouse to create audio programming that best elevates authentic conversation surrounding big moments in sports and culture. Building on recent audio award recognitions with “The First One,” “17 Weeks” and “More Than A Vote: Vaccine Special,” a press release revealed that “SpringHill will bring its mission to empower greatness in every individual from creators to fans via a series of rooms under the name “SpringHill Live” on Clubhouse hosted from its newly announced club.”
Franchises
LeBron James reportedly owns 19 Blaze Pizza locations throughout the United States. The fast-pizza franchise offers all the typical pizza offerings, including chicken and garlic bread. Initially, James and his partners invested $1 million into the franchise back in 2012.
Acting Career
LeBron James’ biggest production, as of late, was in “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” But according to his IMDb page, he’s appeared in a number of other film and television productions, including “Survivors Remorse,” “Teen Titans Go!” and “The LeBrons.” He’s also served as a commentator for various NBA games on ESPN.
Philanthropy
“Recognizing the life-changing importance of education, The LeBron James Family Foundation invests its time, resources, and attention in the kids of LeBron’s hometown of Akron, Ohio,” reads the foundation’s official website. “Through its I PROMISE program, the foundation serves more than 1,400 Akron-area students by providing them with the programs, support, and mentors they need to succeed in school and beyond.”
Other Investments
One of LeBron James’ biggest investments was in Fenway Sports Group. According to the company’s official website, it’s the parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., a soccer club. James, along with Carter, can now make major decisions regarding the teams in the future.
