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LeBron James paid it forward to his mother when he signed a lucrative contract with Nike. The Akron, OH , athlete was drafted to the NBA in 2003 as a No. 1 overall pick, according to Basketball Reference. In his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he caught the attention of Nike, Adidas, and even Reebok, which would have amounted to a $10 million shoe deal. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, James ultimately rejected the Reebok deal since it came with the condition of being unable to speak with other companies. “Me and my mom were living in an apartment—section 8 housing in Akron. I’m going back. I don’t have sh-t, whatever, and my mom looked at me. She said, ‘Son, trust your gut. If they’re offering you this, then who knows what the other companies may offer you.’ She’s super composed. She’s like, ‘We ain’t got sh-t already, so it’s not like it changes our life in this moment. Maybe in the future, but I want you to trust your gut and do what you think is right,’” James said on...
LeBron James’ portfolio now includes a new sports team. Forbes notes the Los Angeles Lakers star is taking his dollars to the seas as an investor in the UIM E1 Series, an all-electric and sustainable raceboat competition that kicked off in 2024. Its launch is supported through Motorsports E360, a partnership between the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Formula E, Extreme E, and E1. James is now the owner of the platform’s latest arrival, Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James, with Rusty Wyatt and Catie Munnings signing on to pilot the powerboat. What’s more, James joins other E1 Series team owners such as Will Smith (Westbrook Racing) and Tom Brady (Team Brady), which was victorious in the 2024 E1 Series championship. “For me, I’m a huge fan of sports and I’ve always loved competing,” James told Forbes. “There’s nothing like seeing athletes compete at the highest level of their sport. Now with E1, we’re seeing a whole new type of competition on the water where everything is...
LeBron James’ business partner and Klutch Sports Group Founder Maverick Carter is looking to own an international league. Since 2006, Carter has been working alongside James within the business world. The pair had been playing basketball together in high school, and Carter was a trusted figure in James’ life. For that reason he was tapped by the NBA superstar to assist him on the business side as his sports career was taking off. “He betted on me at a time I didn’t know what I was doing,” Carter recalled during an interview on the “ UNINTERRUPTED” podcast . “And, you know, I’m still learning every day. But he really gave me a shot and was like, ‘I’m gonna empower you.'” Since that time, Carter has been a pivotal player in James’ journey to becoming a billion-dollar athlete today. Carter has served as his manager , and they have launched several business together, including SpringHill Entertainment, which merged with British television, film, and music production company Fulwell 73...
LeBron James has revealed why he turned down a $10 million shoe deal at 18. The Los Angeles Lakers player appeared on the “New Heights” podcast to reflect on the array of shoe deals he considered during his early days in the league. While currently signed with Nike, James once weighed different options. At a young age, James was inspired by Michael Jordan and Penny Hardaway, who were both signed to Nike. When he began playing for AAU, he grew fond of Adidas, Nike’s retail competitor. “It was Adidas from seventh, eighth grade to pretty much my junior senior year. They sponsored us. Every year, we played in all the Adidas tournaments,” he said on the podcast. At one point, a wave of companies approached James, but he felt that Reebok had delivered the most compelling pitch. “I’m sitting across from the table. I’m a senior in high school…I’m going back to class the next day. They flew me in. I’m going back to St. Vince St Mary the next day, my senior year, and the guy slides over a...
For Los Angeles Lakers fans, one of this season’s highlights has been reveling in the groundbreaking father-son duo of LeBron and Bronny James this past season, as the pair have made history playing beside one another. Now, LeBron’s youngest son Bryce may be on pace to join them, as he has officially announced his intention to play for the University of Arizona ‘s Wildcats this coming fall. Bryce James was voraciously pursued by several appealing Pac-12 schools over the last few weeks, with the Tucson-based school apparently offering the most compelling welcome package. The rising star’s choice was commended with comments from numerous NBA legends, including Kevin Durant, Jamal Crawford, Rachel Nichols and of course, LeBron himself. Bryce’s older brother famously played just one season with his college of choice before declaring for the NBA draft , meaning we could potentially see a triumvirate of players from the prolific James family as early as 2027. So, let’s take a moment to...
Jerseys worn by LeBron James and his son Bronny performed exceptionally well at auction. On June 27, 2024, Bronny James made headlines when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, selected as the 55th overall pick in the second round of the NBA Draft, notes USC Athletics. Shortly after, he signed a four-year rookie contract worth $7.9 million guaranteed, per ESPN. This historic move placed Bronny on the same team as his legendary father, LeBron. “Bronny is, first and foremost, a person of high character,” Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka said, according to the NBA. “And second, he is a young man that works incredibly hard. Those are the qualities we look for in drafting players and adding to our developmental corps at the Lakers.” Speaking to his potential, Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick commented, per Sports Illustrated: “We view Bronny as case study No. 1. Because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing — there’s a lot to like about his game. And...
New changes are underway at LeBron James’ media company. Bloomberg previously reported that the SpringHill Co., owned by James and Maverick Carter, had been in talks for several months with Fulwell 73, a British television, music, and film company known for “The Kardashians” and “Carpool Karaoke .” Sources close to the discussions mentioned plans for unscripted and live programming, with both parties aiming to leverage their resources across Europe and the United States. Now, it has been confirmed that the two companies will merge, however without any money being exchanged. The merger will instead be supported by a $40 million investment toward future growth from entities such as Fenway Sports Group, RedBird Capital Partners, UC Investments, Nike, Epic Games, Main Street Advisors, and Eldridge Industries, according to Variety. “We didn’t want to stand still and ultimately just be a production company where more and more you are in the services business. We’re producers for hire,”...
Uncle Nearest Whiskey’s founder has a word of advice for Beyoncé as she plants herself in the spirits industry. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the “Cowboy Carter” singer released SirDavis in August 2024. The American whisky brand was launched in partnership with Moët Hennessy, and its inaugural product is inspired by Japanese and Scotch whiskies with promises to maintain “the robust and deep flavors typical of classic American rye,” a press release mentioned. The venture is inspired by Beyoncé’s paternal great-grandfather Davis Hogue, who was a farmer and worked as a “moonshiner” in the midst of the Prohibition era. “Our whiskey’s legacy dates back over 200 years to a Black man in Alabama in the 1800s… a man who was a businessman and an entrepreneur, but would have never had the opportunity to create a mainstream whiskey back then. Systemic barriers would not have allowed it,” she mentioned, according to GQ. “But it turns out that my great-grandfather’s hands planted the seed...
LeBron James’ name is now attached to another accomplishment. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, a St. Vincent-St. Mary jersey, worn in high school by the current Los Angeles Lakers star made its way to Julien’s Auction in Gardena, CA. The jersey was sported during a 2002 Sports Illustrated cover titled “The Chose One,” captured by Michael LeBrecht, who served as a Sports Illustrated photographer at the time, per the auction house’s official site. “This was the first time I shot LeBron and these are the images here. Just kind of a simple setup. I had him dunk the ball at least 40 times. G ot him praying to make the NBA, and then I just felt like, ‘Okay let’s get a little bit more animated.’ He’s posing, I’m like, ‘J ust reach out like this’ and I’m like, ‘G ive me a woo.’ And he’s like ‘Woo!’ Y ou look back and you don’t realize it was a real turning point,” LeBrecht said in a video shared by the auction house. That photoshoot remains a memorable moment in sports , and now the...
Bronny James just took home a top prize in the gaming world. The Los Angeles Lakers player participated in the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III” Tournament, which was held during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NV, Bleacher Report mentions. James outperformed Charlotte Hornets’ Grant Williams and Detroit Pistons’ Bobi Klintman during a drill contest that lasted two minutes, with James scoring 84 points. As a result, he walked away victorious with a $10,000 prize pool and a “Call of Duty” championship belt. The outlet also notes James had previously played in other “Call of Duty” tournaments and competed for a $25,000 prize in “Modern Warfare III” back in May. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bleacher Report (@bleacherreport) James’ interest in gaming should come as no surprise. In fact, in 2020 he became a member of esports group FaZe Clan, TMZ Sports reported at the time. “He joined as our newest member. It’s a very authentic relationship that developed between...
Anthony Claytor is the first I Promise School student to graduate from college. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the school launched in Akron, OH, through the LeBron James Family Foundation, which was established in 2004 to “positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and co-curricular educational initiatives.” The I Promise School came into fruition in 2017 through a partnership with Akron Public Schools (APS) and a committee of local leaders, educators, parents, and experts, Andscape reported. The school officially opened in 2018. “This school is so important to me because our vision is to create a place for the kids in Akron who need it most — those that could fall through the cracks if we don’t do something,” James said at the time, according to Andscape. “We’ve learned over the years what works and what motivates them, and now we can bring all of that together in one place, along with the right resources and experts. If we get to them early...
Longtime friends LeBron James and Drake are investing their dollars in the PGA Tour. As AFROTECH previously told you, the PGA announced $1.5 billion “in immediate and future equity” from the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), which will permit 200 PGA Tour members to become “equity holders” in the newly established PGA Tour Enterprises. The grants will be contingent upon “career accomplishments, recent achievements, future participation and services, and PGA TOUR membership status…” Strategic Sports Group, composed of team owners led by Fenway Sports Group, closed on the investment totaling up to $3 billion. “We greatly appreciate the opportunity to join PGA TOUR players in this important next phase of the PGA TOUR’s evolution,” John Henry, principal owner of Fenway Sports Group and manager of the Strategic Sports Group, said in a news release. “Our enthusiasm for this new venture stems from a very deep respect for this remarkable game and a firm belief in the expansive growth potential...
Creative money moves are coming from MVP Joel Embiid as he announces the launch of Miniature Géant, a media company in partnership with SpringHill Company. The new partnership with SpringHill Company — co-founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter — marks the expansion of the creative firm’s footprint.