When it comes to basketball, there has been no shortage of world-class players who have achieved the status of superstar throughout the history of the sport.
Just off the top of your head, names such as Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Stephen Curry and Charles Barkley come to mind.
These players were catapulted into stardom thanks to their incredible talent, unwavering dedication to the game and their ability to win games when it’s crunch time.
Considering that the NBA finals are just around the corner, it might be a good time to check out the 2022 NBA Finals odds.
But back to the topic of LeBron James, he is one of those athletes that will forever be etched in the history books and will live on long after he has left the game.
It’s certainly no secret that basketball superstars are without a doubt some of the highest paid athletes on the globe. Often their worth is hard to even comprehend for the average person. Here we are going to take a look at how much some of the game’s biggest stars earned during their tenures with their respective clubs.
LeBron James
Being the highest paid player in the NBA is no easy feat and taking a look at LeBron’s career is testament to that. The All-star has been plying his trade for a whopping 19 seasons this far having begun his professional career in 2002.
In that year, he managed to rack up a measly sum, in comparison to his latest earnings, that is, of just over $4 million for the season.
In the 2021-2022 season, one of the greatest sportsmen in the world now commands a salary of over $41 million. A figure that is 10 times more than when he started.
When you break that number down into games, this means that LeBron is earning a hefty $502,201 per game. This figure borders on unbelievable and is one of the highest salaries paid to a player in any sport.
LeBron has set a number of records and has received numerous accolades during his stellar career, his most recent achievement, being the first player in the history of the NBA to reach a net worth of $1 Billion.
The 37 year old professional basketball player/entrepreneur has made some excellent decisions which helped him get to where he is today.
Apart from his basketball earnings, he has invested in real estate. He has earned over $81 Million through his 3 properties in Los Angeles.
LeBron owns 14 Blaze Pizza franchises and has a stake in numerous companies, including Beats, which has contributed to his net worth. The player has a lifetime deal with sportswear giant Nike, which is worth a whopping $1 Billion.
Highest-Paid Athletes on the Global Scale
- Connor Mcgregor
Connor Mcgregor takes the top spot according to Forbes, a fact that he mentioned to football superstar Christiano Ronaldo. The MMA star has managed to rack up $180 Million during the year.
With that being said, the vast majority of earnings came from outside the cage.
2. Lionel Messi
A name that is synonymous with the game of football, Messi was known throughout the industry as one of the greatest footballers to ever play the game. A fact that has allowed him to command a substantial salary of $97 Million.
His total earnings for the year round off to a solid total of $130 Million.
3. Christiano Ronaldo
Yet another superstar in his own right, Ronaldo has left the world gob smacked since he began playing on the international stage. Charisma and class mean that he has been one of the highest paid athletes for many years now and his longevity seems to know no bounds.
Ronaldo has made a decent $120 Million for the past year.
4. Dak Prescott
Footballers seem to dominate the list of highest paid athletes, something they seem to have done for quite some time already. With football being the most watched sport in the world, it’s no wonder they’re able to consistently make the list.
Prescott has managed to rack up a total earning of $107.5 for the year of 2021.
5. Lebron James
You may be wondering why LeBron is only 5th on the Forbes list after having a net worth of over $1 Billion. Well that’s got to do with the fact that they do not take into account the numerous other ventures the superstar has going on behind the scenes.