When an NBA superstar’s name pops up in the same sentence as an OnlyFans model, you know it’s not your usual basketball rumor. Because if there is one thing harder to stop than LeBron James rushing down the lane in transition? It is Sophie Rain’s bank account. The OnlyFans star just put numbers on the board that made even the NBA’s biggest paycheck look small. And yes, LeBron’s name came up.

In a newly surfaced video with David Dobrik, Rain revealed that she’s pulled in a staggering $82 million in just 18 months. “That was all true,” she said. “No one believes me, but it is very true.” She added she’s paranoid because it could all disappear tomorrow, but then smiled through the math. Her earnings break down to $28,472 per hour. July was a “slow month” at $3.4 million. And then came the shock.

“I almost made more than LeBron last year. He made 56 million, I made 43.” Now, the LeBron comparison wasn’t a throwaway line. James remains one of the highest-earning athletes in the world, pulling in tens of millions annually from his Lakers contract and endorsement empire. But Rain’s numbers underline just how wild the new creator economy has become. But how did the comparison come to begin with? Well, Rain has always been setting outrageous targets.

On the Bangin’ Out podcast, Rain revealed she’s projected to make around $43 million in 2024, but admitted she was stunned to learn LeBron James is slated to earn $52.6 million next NBA season. That gap sparked her bold declaration that by 2026, she plans to surpass the four-time champion in yearly earnings.

LeBron’s career earnings on the court stand at over $581 million. Add endorsements, investments, and his growing media ventures, and his current estimated net worth is around $1.2 billion. The point? LeBron operates in a financial stratosphere few athletes have ever touched. But Rain’s flex adds context.

In 2024, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum became one of the NBA’s highest-paid players with his contract, and he still couldn’t surpass what Rain made then. Over in the UFC, too, a champion like Jon Jones, Sean O’Malley and Max Holloway were put to shame by how much Rain made in just 12 months. Even still, their yearly checks are within range, or below, what Rain casually listed off in Dobrik’s vlog.

That’s where the LeBron angle becomes so sharp. James has spent two decades as the symbol of sports wealth. He’s the standard athletes measure against, from rookies hoping for shoe deals to veterans locking in max contracts. For someone outside the hardwood to even mention being in his neighborhood financially is a headline by itself. 

King James and the money race

And then there’s the history. Michael Jordan’s $33.14 million salary in 1997 was considered untouchable. Adjusted for inflation, that’s roughly $65 million. It still puts Rain ahead of his single-year salary marks. But what Rain flaunted shows how the landscape has shifted. Digital creators, for the first time, are stacking incomes that rival, and sometimes surpass, the legends of sport.

For LeBron, the irony is thick. Here’s a player who meticulously built an empire, balancing basketball dominance with business savvy. His production company, SpringHill, his Blaze Pizza stake, and his billion-dollar Nike lifetime deal have all made him the blueprint. Yet in one casual conversation, Rain framed herself as nearly catching him on the box score.

Does this diminish LeBron’s place as the economic king of sports? Not at all. If anything, it highlights how much weight his name carries that Rain used him as the benchmark. Nobody brags about passing an anonymous tech investor. They compare themselves to LeBron because he’s the universal measuring stick for success. Still, the comparison sparks bigger questions about the shifting value of celebrity.

Athletes once owned the financial spotlight. Now, influencers and digital creators are proving they can run up the same kind of totals without ever stepping into an arena. God, Caitlin Clark sure would be ecstatic to hear that. 

For LeBron, though, this moment changes nothing on the floor. He’ll still post 24-7-8, still carry the Los Angeles Lakers through must-win stretches, and still rack up All-Star nods. But off the court, the narrative just got an unexpected twist. Sophie Rain made a statement. And she did it by putting LeBron James in the headline.