Benzinga | Jul 23, 2021 02:36PM EDT

LeBron James Is First Active $1 Billion NBA Player: What You Should Know

NBA superstar LeBron James is the first active player in the league to hit $1 billion in earnings.

What Happened: Los Angeles Lakers star James has now earned over $1 billion in earnings, according to Sportico.

The earnings comprise $330 million salary since joining the NBA in 2003 and over $700 million in endorsements.

James' endorsements include Blaze Pizza, AT&T (NYSE:T) and Beats by Dre, an Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) company.

James also signed a lifetime deal with Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) in 2016 that could be worth over $30 million annually and up to $1 billion.

The NBA star also famously switched from endorsing Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) products to being a PepsiCo Inc (NYSE:PEP)-sponsored athlete.

James' earnings could get a big boost soon, as he is shopping stakes in his media company SpringHill Media to potential companies that include Nike. SpringHill was a co-producer of "Space Jam: A New Legacy," the sequel starring James that grossed over $31 million last weekend.

Related Link: 10 Highest Paid Athletes And How They Made Their Money

Other Athletes At $1B: NBA legend Michael Jordan has earned over $1 billion in his career, but he officially hit the mark after his playing career was over.

Kevin Durant, with $580 million in earnings, and Stephen Curry with $430 million, are listed by Sportico as the next active NBA athletes that could hit the mark.

Other active athletes who have passed the $1 billion level include Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Roger Federer.