LeBron James' Wildest Endorsement Deals and Investments

LeBron James' path to becoming one of the greatest NBA players ever is built on unseen hours of training, exercise, skill development and so much more.

It's also a rather lucrative one.

Not only did "The King" become the first NBA player ever to surpass $500 million in career salary, but he's also banked many millions in off-court earnings. Much of this additional income is through endorsement deals and savvy investments.

Here, we've highlighted some of the most notable off-court deals that helped LeBron reach an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.

Polymarket: $15 Million Per Year

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Since joining the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron's most recent endorsement deal—as of this writing—is from Polymarket. According to Front Office Sports, the contract is worth $15 million annually.

To put that into context, he'll earn almost four times as much from Polymarket this year as he does from the Sixers.

James reportedly will not be promoting basketball and instead will focus on football for the prediction market platform.

DraftKings: Undisclosed

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Prior to his endorsement with Polymarket, LeBron served as a brand ambassador for gambling entity DraftKings Sportsbook. The dollar figure was unreported, but it lasted from early 2024 into the summer of 2026.

James occasionally shared NFL picks and appeared in several commercials with comedian Kevin Hart for the company.

Fanatics: $5 Million-Plus Per Year

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Back in 2024, LeBron inked a partnership with Fanatics after a 20-year run at trading card rival Upper Deck.

Complete terms of this contract are unavailable, though experts cited by CNBC estimated it could be worth more than $5 million per year.

Front Office Sports later reported the agreement includes usage of the company's aviation, which has come in handy for LeBron's helicopter travels from his New York City home to Philadelphia for work.

Blaze Pizza: $35-40 Million

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In connection with longtime friend and business partner Maverick Carter, LeBron has made several shrewd investments as well.

Carter, LeBron and financial adviser Paul Wachter put less than $1 million in Blaze Pizza back in 2012. Five years later, James' approximate 10 percent ownership in the company was worth $25 million, as ESPN's Darren Rovell reported at the time.

Rovell also noted that endorsement payments pushed LeBron's stake in the business toward the $35-40 million range.

Beats Electronics: $30 Million

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During his memorable run on the Miami Heat as part of a "Big Three" alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, LeBron cashed a nice off-court check.

Apple purchased Beats Electronics for $3 billion, and ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein reported that James received $30 million in profit as part of the sale. They added that it was "believed to be the biggest equity cash payout for a professional athlete in history" at the time.

LeBron received an initial stake in the company in 2008 as part of an agreement to promote the Beats by Dre headphones.

SpringHill Company: $725 Million Valuation

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Named as a nod to the housing complex in which he was raised, James established the SpringHill Company alongside Carter with roots back to 2007.

SpringHill has produced some notable TV series and films, including James as the star in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Others include NBC game show The Wall, HBO talk show The Shop and Netflix docuseries The Playbook.

In a 2021 minority stake sale, SpringHill had a $725 million valuation. Variety reported James and Carter maintained controlling interest in the company.

Fenway Sports Group: $32 Million

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While playing for the Heat in 2011, LeBron acquired a minority interest in Liverpool Football Club as part of an agreement with Fenway Sports Group that granted the company exclusive rights to marketing his image.

ESPN's Darren Rovell reported in 2018 that his 2 percent stake—initially worth $6.5 million—had turned into a $32 million valuation.

According to Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, James joined FSG as a partner in 2021 with a 1 percent stake and, alongside Carter, received more equity in the firm in 2023. In addition to the Premier League club, FSG properties include the Boston Red Sox (MLB), Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) and RFK Racing (NASCAR).

Initial Nike Contract: $90 Million

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Before he ever stepped foot on an NBA court—even before his name was called first overall in the 2003 draft—LeBron had achieved generational wealth.

The kid from Akron, Ohio, signed a seven-year contract worth $90-plus million with apparel giant Nike. The deal included a $10 million signing bonus as James passed up offers from Adidas and Reebok.

Lifetime Nike Contract: $1+ Billion

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LeBron's first endorsement deal with Nike gave him life-changing money. The second, signed in 2010, locked him in as a longtime brand ambassador. The third ensured his legacy would always be tied to Nike.

Nike signed him to a lifetime deal in 2015, and ESPN's Darren Rovell reported that it included "the largest single-athlete guarantee in company history."

In a 2016 interview with GQ, LeBron's business partner, Maverick Carter, pointed "one finger skyward" after the interviewer asked whether the contract was worth $1 billion.