“My Biggest Milestone”: LeBron James Once Placed Being a Billionaire Over Chasing Michael Jordan for the GOAT Status

LeBron James is a man of many hats. If you look at how he makes his money, he is technically not a basketball player who sells shoes, but a shoe salesman who plays basketball. This may seem like semantics, but it’s important to consider alongside James’ motivations and career goals. More than just being a great basketball player, a mark he has accomplished many time over, LeBron wants to make money. How much does he value that capital? Well, it turns out he values his financial status over his historical one.

In a 2014 article for GQ Magazine, James, at that point still a young-ish 33-year-old, opened up about what he’s chasing as a player. Fans and haters alike have framed the GOAT debate as a two-man race between LeBron and Michael Jordan. While James is aware of this and pushing to break the nostalgia of public opinion, he may never reach that goal.

It’s hard to quantify “Being the GOAT” as a concrete thing. There are people James will never convince. There are people Jordan couldn’t even convince, who hold Larry Bird of Magic Johnson or any other number of Hall of Fame players to that lofty height. So, maybe the goal of nine digits at the end of his net worth is an easier line to surpass.

In regard to the GOAT conversation, LeBron gave a short answer, “My drive to be the greatest basketball player ever is very high.” But, when given the opportunity to talk about his financial goals, he had many more words.

“If it happens. It’s my biggest milestone. Obviously. I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I’m gonna be excited.” said James. It’s unclear how much of this statement is authentic and how much is sarcastic, but there’s some clear motivation behind those words.

It’s a goal he has already achieved—a milestone he himself called more important than anything he’d do in his playing career has been reached.

LeBron James: Billionaire

According to Forbes, it took until 2022 for James to reach that ten-digit threshold. He is by no means the first NBA player to reach that mark; just look at Jordan’s culture-changing shoe brand or Magic Johnson’s multiple major sports franchise ownerships. However, he has done so quicker than any other player.

Usually, athletes wait til after their careers to beome hard-core investors and capital chasers. James is the first person in NBA history to reach a billion-dollar valuation while still an active player. That is yet another ridiculous line to add to the LeBron James story.