LeBron James is the Highest-Paid NBA Player in 2021
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fa0bff_d4b2de0892724e2f8ba535251c0931c2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_83,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/fa0bff_d4b2de0892724e2f8ba535251c0931c2~mv2.jpg)
For the seventh year in a row, LeBron James earns the title of highest-paid player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), on and off the court, with expected earnings of $95.4 million in 2021.
Approximately $65 million are from endorsement deals alone, which includes memorabilia and media deals.
If these earnings are achieved, James will have the highest earnings in a single year for an NBA player in history and the highest of all-time in American team sports.
James’ current salary with the NBA is $34.4 million. Off the court, he holds deals with Pepsi, Nike and Beats Electronics.
He’s also a part of Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox’s, the Premier League’s Liverpool and Roush Fenway Racing NASCAR team.
James is projected to earn $1 billion in overall career earnings, with an estimated $700 million to come from all of his deals and businesses outside of basketball.
The only other athletes to earn $1 billion, while still active in sports, including Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.