With the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Lebron James on June 23, 2003, in a decision that would change his life forever. Over the entirety of his 17-season career, the Cleveland native has achieved many historical accomplishments to now be considered by many basketball fans as the greatest player of all time; some include joining the league as one of the youngest players to do so, becoming a 4x NBA champion with three different teams, a 17x All-Star, receiving 4 MVP awards, 4 Finals MVP awards, and being the only player in NBA history to put up 35k points, 9k assists, and 9,000 rebounds throughout his career.
While the list goes on for miles, the NBA continues to give Lebron a comfortable place to call home as his average salary over the years has totaled out to a whopping $39.2 million from the league alone. It was officially announced on Thursday, July 22, 2021, that the 36-year-old star achieved a milestone that has never been reached before by becoming the first-ever NBA player to earn $1 billion. Most of the income was earned from contracts he was given in the league, but the rest came from his hustle off the court as the athlete is currently juggling multiple side gigs to start up his new life after he inevitably retires from the game of basketball.
Lebron James earned approximately $95 million dollars in the 2021 season alone while also making an added $64.4 million from his off-court projects. The multi-talented all-star was the main character in the new “Space Jam 2: A New Legacy” movie which, reportedly from Forbes, is the play that put him over the top to surpass his goal of reaching the billionaire mark. With this milestone, Lebron has proved once again that he is “more than an athlete;” a movement that for years the former MVP has stood confidently behind. The basketball icon continues to be an inspiration and idol as he day to day gives children with a dream, hope that they can accomplish anything imaginable within their lifetime; all it takes is effort.