LeBron James

NBA champion. NBA All-Star. Olympic Gold medalist. Leader. Philanthropist. Cultural icon. A kid from Akron. Those are just a few of the titles belonging to world-class athlete LeBron James. Though he got his start in the NBA as a Cleveland Cavalier, he’s since made his mark as a player on the Miami Heat and now, the Los Angeles Lakers. However, there’s more to the six-foot-nine player than just his stellar athleticism. Unlike the "advice" he was given last year to "shut up and stick to sports," James cannot be silenced. By exercising his investment prowess and business acumen, in 2022 James became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status earlier this summer. This is due in large part to his deals with several brands that are household names, including but not limited to Nike, Walmart, Beats by Dre and the Blaze Pizza chain. If you think all the wealth James has realized is just for his own personal consumption, you’d be wrong. Off the court, the MVP uses a good portion of that wealth to empower others through his LeBron James Family Foundation, I Promise School and other philanthropic endeavors.