Lebron James finally achieved one of his on the court goals of winning a Championship ring. Now he’s steadily working on his off the court goal of becoming a billionaire and he has the admiration of the one of the richest men in the world Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett. Read more after the jump.
“You have to get to know him,” Buffett said. “LeBron’s not initially really talkative. He’s savvy. He’s smart about financial matters. It’s amazing to me the maturity he exhibits. I know that if I had been famous at that age, I would have had trouble keeping my feet on the ground.”
Forbes estimates that salary and endorsements brought LeBron $53 million in income last year, the fourth highest among athletes. And it would have been more if not for the lockout.
And that number is going up because companies want him as an endorser again (he just signed with Samsung). It’s a swing in his image from just a couple years ago. Again from the Herald.
“He’s arguably the most marketable athlete currently in the U.S. because he brings the most long-term value,” said Robert Tuchman, president of Goviva, a sports and entertainment company. “I don’t think there’s anyone you can compare him to right now … he’s perceived as a really good guy and a winner.”
