LeBron James ranked as the highest-paid athlete in the world

The Los Angeles Lakers fell well short of expectations on the court this season, despite LeBron James, 37, continuing to defy Father Time with the second-highest scoring average in the league and second-highest of his career. Off the court? King James crushed it. The 18-time All-Star earned $127 million during the past 12 months from the Lakers and his expanding off-court empire, according to Sportico estimates. It is the highest tally of his two-decade career and more than any other athlete on the planet.
Source: Kurt Badenhausen @ Sportico

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Mike Lynch @SportInfo247
This is the first time the MVP vote has had the same players in the same order finish 1-2 since LeBron James won consecutive MVPs in 2011-12 and 2012-13, with Kevin Durant finishing runner-up both times. Durant would win MVP the next season (2013-14) with LeBron the runner-up – 7:02 PM Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
LeBron James has received MVP votes in 19 different seasons.
That’s two more than Kareem and six more than MJ.
Just an FYI. – 6:59 PM Howard Beck @HowardBeck
For all the talk of “voter fatigue,” we’ve now had SEVEN instances of a player winning back-to-back MVP in the last 21 years:
Jokic (2021, 2022), Giannis (2019, 2020), Curry (2015, 2106), LeBron (2012, 2013), LeBron (2009, 2010), Nash (2005, 2006) and Duncan (2002, 2003). – 6:51 PM Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Nikola Jokic is the NBA MVP. He’s the 13th player to be MVP in consecutive seasons, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, Steve Nash and Bill Russell. pic.twitter.com/JVDpcqGYFw – 6:38 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Wednesday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss Jeanie Buss’ @latimes interview. What she said (and didn’t say) about accountability, spending, LeBron, the Rambii, Magic, Phil, Pelinka and more. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lak… – 12:18 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 1984, the @New York Knicks Bernard King scored 44 points in a win over the Celtics, his sixth 40-point game of the postseason.
The only players in NBA history with more such games in a single postseason are Jerry West (8), LeBron James (8), and Michael Jordan (7). pic.twitter.com/Ll9GXQcEz6 – 12:01 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Luka Doncic last night:
28 PTS
11 REB
3 STL
Doncic is the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 30p/10r/5a through the first eight games of a postseason.
He joins Oscar Robertson (1963), Larry Bird (1985), Hakeem Olajuwon (1994), and LeBron James (2018). pic.twitter.com/MMNdxLSrcQ – 9:31 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Jimmy Butler last night:
23 PTS
9 REB
6 AST
9-15 FG
Butler is just the second player in @Miami Heat history to record at least 250p/50r/50a through his first nine games of a postseason, joining LeBron James (2012). pic.twitter.com/aJ2Acyi2tt – 9:01 AM LeBron James @KingJames
YES!!! CHUCK WON 🥇 – 11:10 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I’m not gonna lie, part of my calculus for how quickly I want Winning Time to move is the slim chance that LeBron could one day play himself.
Season 12. In the bubble. LeBron has a dramatic confrontation with Adrien Brody’s Pat Riley before the Finals. This is my heart’s desire. – 6:10 PM Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
We are live for a Tuesday edition of the DNVR Nuggets show. Come hang out with us.
Has the NBA moved on from LeBron James?
Are you excited for Juancho’s new movie?
What have we learned from the playoffs so far?
youtube.com/watch?v=0O0C6v… – 3:30 PM Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Kareem, Russell, Jordan, LeBron, Wilt, Magic, Moses, Bird, Pettit, Duncan, Nash, Karl Malone, Steph, Giannis, & Jokić
@TermineRadio puts into perspective the historic company that @Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić joins as a multiple MVP winner #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/oDdN6nrjNv – 10:00 AM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Next up in our Offseason Preview series on @spotrac are the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s not all about Russ this summer for LA, but it does all kind of hinge on him. And, of course, LBJ too! Read more on what may be the most important offseason in the NBA:
spotrac.com/research/nba/2… – 8:32 AM Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
‘Lakers Talk’ starts at 7p…
-Who would be a better fit, Quinn Snyder or Doc Rivers?
-Why trading Lebron and/or AD should not be considered for now
Guest: @Jovan Buha from the @The Athletic
@ESPNLosAngeles – 9:53 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Jimmy Butler last night:
40 PTS
6 AST
13-20 FG
12-13 FT
It’s the third time Butler has recorded at least 40p/5a in a playoff game.
He breaks a tie with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James for the most such games in @Miami Heat history. pic.twitter.com/RQvIfOYdcF – 9:31 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Only 3 of the last 19 MVPs have won a championship in the same season.
LeBron in 2012
LeBron in 2013
Steph in 2015 pic.twitter.com/j7b8a0j0tI – 8:59 AM LeBron James @KingJames
Hate on me, I blew but I’m the same OG
People warned me: “When you’re on top there’s envy” – 11:47 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Jimmy Butler has more 40-point playoff games (4) than LeBron James (3) for the Heat. pic.twitter.com/kBKc6nURXg – 10:31 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
This is how long it’s been since Mike Brown was last a head coach.
This Cavaliers team was also the only time Mike Brown was a head coach on a team that didn’t have LeBron James or Kobe Bryant on it.
He’s seen some things for sure pic.twitter.com/YLLFfonEAd – 7:28 PM

More on this storyline

James has definitely been thinking about the back end. The biggest business for James and his longtime business partner, Maverick Carter, is The SpringHill Company, which was founded in 2015 and encompasses production company SpringHill Entertainment, Uninterrupted and brand consultancy Robot. SpringHill sold a minority stake last year to a consortium led by Gerry Cardinale’s sports-focused RedBird Capital, which also included Nike, Epic Games and FSG. The deal valued the company at $725 million. Revenue for SpringHill is expected to be north of $100 million this year. Most of the cash infusion is expected to go toward building the company, and Sportico gave James only a marginal bump to his off-court earnings, which totaled $90 million, by our count. -via Sportico / May 11, 2022 James’ fellow NBA MVPs, Stephen Curry ($86.2 million) and Durant ($85.9 million) rank sixth and seventh among the highest-paid. Curry has his own brand within Under Armour, and a multimedia company, Unanimous Media. Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures is run by his longtime business partner Rich Kleiman. It has 32 full-time employees focused on KD’s endorsements, an 80-plus company investment portfolio, film and TV projects, as well as sports and entertainment business media network Boardroom. -via Sportico / May 11, 2022 Josh Gerben: LeBron James is taking his talents to the metaverse. @KingJames has filed new trademarks for – LEBRON JAMES – LEBRON – KING JAMES – CHOSEN1 The filings indicate an intent to offer: 1. Virtual footwear & clothing 2. Virtual basketball courts & more👇 #LeBronJames #Lakers -via Twitter / March 10, 2022