2 Years Before Bronny’s NIL Deal With Beats, LeBron James’ Former Teammate Claimed Lakers Star Earned $700 Million From Audio Brand

Apart from being a basketball superstar, LeBron James is also quite a savvy businessman. With a net worth of $1 billion, ‘The King’ has made several wise investments. One of them was as a partner of the audio company Beats by Dr. Dre. According to reports, LeBron made $30 million when Apple acquired the company in 2014. However, Bron’s former teammate turned analyst, Kendrick Perkins claims he made a whole lot more from that deal, $700 million to be exact.

Beats has had a longstanding relationship with James and his family. Aside from his initial role as a partner, the company also has a deal with King James’ son Bronny James. USC’s latest recruit became Beats’ first high school athlete in 2022 to sign a NIL deal. A deal that saw him add to his $10 million net worth.

Kendrick Perkins claimed LeBron James made $700 million off of Beats deal

LeBron James is an incredibly wealthy man, and rightly so. Having made millions off his exploits on the basketball court, and even more off of it, The King has an empire worth $1 billion. An empire that received a significant boost when LeBron made $30 million from Apple’s acquisition of Beats in 2014.

However, is it possible that King James made more from that deal? Well, in an interview with Insider in 2020, LeBron’s former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kendrick Perkins claimed just that. Big Perk suggested that when Dr. Dre sold the company, Bron actually raked in $700 million from the deal.

It certainly is a huge claim and one that only Perkins has made thus far. Neither LeBron nor anyone close to him has confirmed any such deal. But, it is something to think about.

“When Dr. Dre got the big contract for the Beats by Dre, when they wrote him that check, LeBron James got $700 million off of it. He was a silent investor in the Beats and nobody knows this.”

Regardless of whether or not he made that money, the four-time NBA Champion has had some very successful business deals. As such, he has plenty of contacts in and around the business world. Contacts that LeBron is leveraging to help his son get ahead in life.

The King played a role in Bronny James securing contracts with Beats and Nike

LeBron James is a family man and is very close with his two sons Bronny and Bryce. In fact, with Bronny James just a year away from going pro, Bron has been doing all he can to give his son an advantage, both on and off the court. Not only has he been training his son from a young age, but he’s also been utilizing his connections in the business world.

Bronny is the top potential earner from name, image, and likeness, and has already accumulated a net worth of $10 million. This is partly thanks to his deal with Beats and his long-term partnership with Nike. Both companies happen to be associated with his father.

While Bronny does have a significant fan following that definitely contributed to his success, it’s safe to say that LeBron was influential in helping his son secure some major deals.