LeBron James Net Worth: Career Earnings Eclipses $1 Billion

Adam Wells @adamwells1985Featured ColumnistJuly 2, 2018

CLEVELAND, CA - JUN 8: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to the media after being defeated by the Golden State Warriors in Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals won 108-85 by the Golden State Warriors over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Quicken Loans Arena on June 6, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)

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In agreeing to a maximum contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James' career earnings have now passed the $1 billion mark.

The Klutch Sports Group announced Sunday that the four-time NBA MVP agreed to a four-year, $154 million deal to join the Lakers.

Per ESPN's Darren Rovell (via George Mills of Express.com), James' new contract will push him into the ten-figure mark in career earnings, with nearly 65 percent of that total coming from endorsements.

This represents a meteoric rise in James' business profile in just two years.

In December 2016, Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes noted the 14-time All-Star had a net worth of $275 million to rank No. 39 on a list of the 40 richest entrepreneurs under 40.

James has become a business entity separate from his talents on the court. He co-founded the digital sports programming network Uninterrupted, started a production company called SpringHill Entertainment and invested in Blaze Pizza, among his many ventures and endorsement deals.

Heading into his 16th NBA season, James has been building toward becoming a Hollywood icon for years. Playing for the Lakers is the next logical step in his storied career.