LeBron James is first active NBA player to become a billionaire

LeBron James has added another title to his collection: billionaire. Forbes estimated the Los Angeles Lakers star’s net worth at $1bn in a report published on Thursday. He is the first active NBA player to reach the status.

Michael Jordan, whose net worth Forbes has pegged at $1.7bn, didn’t reach billionaire status until 11 years after he retired. Forbes estimated James earned $121.2 million last year, a figure eclipsed only by Lionel Messi, who brought in $130m.

Becoming a billionaire is a feat James spoke of in a 2014 interview with GQ.

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“If it happens. It’s my biggest milestone,” James said at the time. “Obviously. I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I’m gonna be excited.”

Despite earning close to $400m in salary during his NBA career with the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, James’ off-court earnings far eclipse that. Forbes estimated James, 37, has brought in more than $900m from business investments and endorsements.

Those include his entertainment group, SpringHill, which he sold a minority stake in for $725m, according to Forbes. SpringHill has produced shows such as The Shop and a docuseries on Naomi Osaka, as well as the film Space Jam: A New Legacy, which James starred in.

He also has a 1% stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool FC, the Boston Red Sox and recently agreed to buy the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. James bought a 10% stake in Blaze Pizza for less than $1m in 2012, which Forbes says is now worth $30m.

The 37-year-old’s real estate portfolio is estimated to be worth $80m, and