The 18-time NBA All Star and four-time NBA champion is the only active NBA player to reach the milestone. The achievement comes after James, who is sitting out the NBA Finals this season, raked up $121.2 million in 2021, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.

Contributing to his new billionaire status, James received more than $385 million as a player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. But it’s James’ business acumen and other ventures that have pushed him into billionaire status.

The Los Angeles Lakers player walked away from a $15 million endorsement deal with McDonald’s, deciding instead to invest in a fast-growing Blaze Pizza chain, which Forbes now estimates is worth double what he would have made at McDonald’s. He also has equity in several businesses, including Tonal, a smart gym-maker, and Lyft.

James and business partner Maverick Carter also started the production company SpringHill, securing outside investors. SpringHill produced Space Jam: A New Legacy, which made $163 million worldwide at the box office, and the HBO documentary What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali, which is valued at $725 million. James is the company’s biggest shareholder, and SpringHill is worth $300 million.

James’ real estate comes to $80 million, and his other ventures make up more than $500 million.

Michael Jordan is the only other basketball billionaire, hitting the financial status in 2014, a decade after he retired. At the time, James said reaching 10 figures would be his “biggest milestone,” and he hoped to reach it as soon as he could.

“Obviously. I want to maximize my business,” he told GQ in 2014. “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.”