LeBron James has become the first NBA player to make $1 billion while still active in the sport.
.
The news comes after Space Jam: A New Legacy, which James starred in and produced, enjoyed a whopping $31.6 million in revenue its opening weekend.
.
According to Sportico, James has earned $330 million in his playing salary alone since being drafted in 2003. The 36-year-old has reportedly made another $700 million off the court through endorsements deals, merchandise, licensing, and his media production company, SpringHill Co. His current endorsement deals, which include partnerships with AT&T, Beats Electronics, Blaze Pizza, GMC, Nike, PepsiCo, Rimowa, and Walmart garner over $100 million every year.
.
Sportico compared James’ historic earnings to Michael Jordan’s who, of course, starred in the original 1996 Space Jam film.
.
While Jordan is now worth around $2 billion, the outlet writes that much of that revenue was made after his legendary NBA career.
.
One venture that has been particularly lucrative for Jordan during his retirement is Nike’s highly successful Jordan Brand. Sportico writes that Jordan fell just short of earning $1 billion while active, making James the first NBA player to achieve the feat.
.
With the distinction, James joins the heavy tier of athletes who have made $1 billion while active, including Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Roger Federer.
.
The Los Angeles Lakers star is also the first active player in a U.S. team sport to hit the monetary milestone.
