NBA superstar LeBron James was one of the most hyped-up players from high school. Ever since he broke into the scene, there has been huge excitement and expectation around him. The athleticism, explosiveness, and quickness for his height at the age were unheard off. And he dominated his opponents like no other. His high school team would thrash other high school teams comfortably. Because of his dominance and potential, many believed he would be the heir to the all-time great Michael Jordan. Hence, he was dubbed the ‘Chosen One’.

Growing up, James and his single mother Gloria struggled a lot financially. However, everything would change before he even joined the NBA. In 2003, LeBron James declared for the NBA draft. And the Cleveland Cavaliers selected the kid from Akron, Ohio as the #1 draft pick. The kid straight from high school hit the ground running and took the league by storm.

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According to reports, he signed a 7-year, $90 million deal with Nike before he was drafted by the Cavaliers. And reportedly earned as much as $30 million annually. James has had his own shoe line with Nike since his rookie season.

The success of LeBron James

The shoe deal with Nike made him the richest rookie shoe deal in league history. Interestingly, the deal from Nike was worth less than the $115 million deal from Reebok. However, James decided to go with Nike and has never turned back. He then agreed to an extension offered by Nike in 2010.

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Then in 2015, James agreed to a lifetime deal with the $183 billion worth of Nike. As per reports, the ‘Chosen One’ makes $30 million a year and the total deal is worth around $1 billion. The deal with James has been extremely successful and Nike honored him very similar to the way it honored Jordan. Nike named a building after James with its LeBron James Innovation Center.

With his success on the court, James has helped Nike make millions. On the other hand, James himself has become a huge brand with his on-court success. He is one of the most popular athletes in the world at the moment. Also, he is one of the richest athletes. And his move to the Los Angeles Lakers has only made him even more popular.

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In 2020, he helped the Lakers to win the NBA championship and won the Finals MVP award. Even though the Lakers didn’t make the playoffs last season, James averaged 30 points per game at 37. And he will be ready to go back again in the upcoming season.