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Do You Know LeBron James Will Make More Money Than Michael Jordan Did in His NBA Career With 2-Year Lakers Extension?
The debate over whether Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the NBA's GOAT will continue forever. For now, James earned a new accolade by earning more money than Michael Jordan did in his entire career.
Longevity has helped LeBron James surpass Michael Jordan in nearly all career statistical categories. On Wednesday, he reached another milestone by signing a two-year, $104-million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. It is reported that he will earn more than Jordan did throughout his entire 15-season career.
At 39, the basketball legend's contract includes a no-trade clause and a player option, allowing him to continue on his terms, according to ESPN. James re-signed with the Lakers just one week after the team drafted his oldest son, Bronny James, with the 55th overall pick. Let's explore how the NBA GOAT is now making more than the first billionaire athlete who topped the richest-of-the-rich list.
LeBron James' NBA career earnings
James is among the highest-earning NBA players ever. He has accumulated a staggering $479,466,457 during his career, according to Spotrac.com. James' new contract will add at least another $49,987,718 to his earnings with this two-year extension with the Lakers. If he exercises his player option and completes the deal, he will have amassed a total of $583,440,910 from his NBA career.
In 21 seasons, James has won four NBA titles, four NBA MVPs, and has been named to 20 consecutive All-Star Games. Thus, he has proven to be worth every penny for the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers.
Michael Jordan's NBA career earnings
Jordan's earnings, in comparison, are much less due to the less lucrative NBA contracts during his playing days.
Jordan earned $93,877,500 over his 16-year NBA career, according to Spotrac.com. He made $4 million or less in 14 of his 16 seasons. In the two standout seasons, he earned $30,140,000 and $33,140,000 during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons respectively before retiring to play minor league baseball.
Like James, Jordan was well worth his salary for the Bulls (and later the Wizards). The Hall of Famer was a 14-time All-Star, six-time champion, NBA Finals MVP, and five-time regular-season MVP.
If Jordan had played in today's NBA—especially after the league's 2016 TV deal that caused salaries to surge—he might have matched LeBron's career earnings. Nevertheless, Jordan has benefited immensely from endorsement deals and his partnership with Nike's Jordan brand, making him one of the world's wealthiest individuals.
READ MORE: Top 10 most expensive Michael Jordan basketball cards of all time
What is LeBron James' net worth
James has out-earned Jordan during their playing careers, with a net worth of $1.2 billion, according to Forbes. This makes him the richest active NBA player.
James has earned significantly more on the court than Jordan, though his off-court success is somewhat more modest. He has made an estimated $900 million from endorsements with Pepsi and Nike and has equity in companies like Beats by Dre and Fenway Sports Group.
As of July 5, James is 2,740th on the list of richest people in the world, according to Forbes. It's unclear if this figure includes the anticipated $104 million from his Lakers contract, but he is likely to climb higher as he continues to benefit from the NBA's near-max salary of over $50 million in his career's twilight.
What is Michael Jordan's net worth?
Jordan's net worth is $3.2 billion, per Forbes. The former NBA star made most of his fortune from off-court endorsements with Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade. He used his estimated $2.4 billion in wealth to buy a majority stake in the Hornets, which he recently sold in a deal valuing the franchise at $3 million.
Jordan ranks as the 1,021st-wealthiest person globally as of July 5, according to Forbes. While he may have missed out on the high earnings of today's NBA, his post-basketball business ventures have secured his place among the world's richest.
READ MORE: How Long Did Michael Jordan Play Baseball and What Was His Batting Average?
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