Lebron James becomes highest-paid NBA player of all time


LeBron James is sticking with the Lakers — and raking in some unprecedented cash.
James has agreed to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, making him the highest-paid NBA player in history "with $532 million in career guaranteed money," ESPN reports. The previous highest-paid player of all time was Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets.
According to ESPN, the NBA champion's contract has a starting salary of $46.7 million. James was set to make $44.5 million during his previous deal's final year, the Los Angeles Times notes. Prior to this two-year extension, there had been questions as to whether James would become a free agent in summer 2023. The extension includes a player option for the 2024-25 season, ESPN says.
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In June, Forbes reported that James has officially become a billionaire, making him the first active NBA player to make the outlet's billionaire list. In addition to his NBA salary, "off the court, he has raked in upwards of $900 million in income from endorsements and other business ventures," Forbes said, including deals with Nike, AT&T, PepsiCo, and Walmart. Forbes estimates he's the second-highest paid athlete in the world after soccer star Lionel Messi. James previously told GQ in 2014, "If I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I'm gonna be excited."
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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