LeBron James is one of three NBA players to become a billionaire, along with Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. According to Forbes, James has a current net worth of $1.3 billion as of January 26th, 2025.
The Los Angeles Lakers star has amassed a staggering $581 million over 22 NBA seasons. However, the bulk of his wealth comes from off-court sources, including endorsement deals, real estate holdings, business ventures, and investments.
Among his outside-the-court capital streams, perhaps the most impressive is his investment in Fenway Sports Group, the umbrella company that owns sports teams like the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liverpool FC. LeBron's portfolio in the said company has multiplied 22 times since he first joined the group.
Marketing deal paid LeBron shares of stock in Liverpool FC
James' relationship with FSG began in 2011 when he signed a marketing deal with their marketing agency. Under that deal, FSG gained the right to exclusively market LeBron and his image worldwide . In return, LBJ received a 2 percent ownership of the English Premier League team Liverpool FC. At that time, "The Reds" had an estimated value of $325 million.
Ten years later, LeBron converted his shares in Liverpool to a one percent stake in the parent company, FSG, thus expanding his ownership from just the iconic football club to include all sports teams and organizations under the mother group. The move also made James and business partner Maverick Carter the first black partners of the company,
In July 2025, CNBC published a list of the most valuable sports empires in the world, and at No. 4 on the list is FSG, with a value of $14.19 billion . According to the article, FSG's holdings include the Red Sox, Penguins, and the NESN sports network. It also owns minority stakes in NASCAR's RFK Racing and PGA Tour Enterprises.
LeBron's FSG share is worth more than what is being reported
Several days ago, LeBron's Liverpool investment went viral, with social media posts and online articles highlighting the increase in his original investment. Some said it is valued at $96 million , based on 2 percent of Liverpool's $4.8 billion valuation. Others said it was $108 million, as they used the 2 percent of The Reds' reported 2025 value of $5.4 billion .
But since LeBron is now an FSG partner, owning 1 percent of the company, the value of LeBron's stake should be at $141.9 million. And while most are reporting that LeBron originally forked out $6.5 million from his pocket to become a Liverpool FC owner, he did not. He merely granted FSG the exclusive right to market his image and exchanged that privilege for shares in the English Premier League club. That was savvy, but converting it to a partnership in the bigger company in 2021 was a stroke of genius.
LeBron has earned many different nicknames throughout his life. Most call him "King James". When he was younger, he was known as "The Chosen One" or "The Akron Hammer." His Chinese fans refer to him as "The Little Emperor." Perhaps it's time to call him an "Underrated Businessman" too.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
