LeBron James has been the face of the league for over a decade.
LeBron James has had a huge impact on the game for the past two decades. His dominance speaks volumes when compared to other athletes. The current face of the league is still active at the age of 39. When it comes to having a bigger influence around the world, James has his name established as one of the most famous sports icons.
To further cement this statement, his teammate, Spencer Dinwiddie talked about James’ impact on the game. Recently, the Athletic released their anonymous player polls which asked several questions to current NBA players. The questions include GOAT picks, the most underrated player, the most overrated player, and more. Michael Jordan was considered the GOAT by the majority, however, James seems to be closing that gap.
He’s had 20-plus years of basically going to the Conference Finals. I’d say globally, LeBron is a bigger icon, like business included. I think Jordan is a bigger hero, in a sense, just because he was so different from what we had seen. We’d already seen dominant guards and wings once LeBron came in.
Spencer Dinwiddie told HoopsHype
In the last two decades, James has influenced millions of hoopers around the world. The four-time champion’s resume speaks volumes. Having spent over 20 years in the league, James’s fame has grown worldwide. On the other hand, Michael Jordan was also one of the most famous athletes in the 90s. However, there are huge aspects that differ from both players’ influence on the game.
LeBron James has reached the Billionaire milestone before retiring
While the net worth of the two cannot dictate their greatness to their dominance, it does tell the status they’ve achieved. Michael Jordan is worth over $2 billion. In 2014, MJ was announced as the first billionaire athlete. However, this was over a decade after his retirement. James on the other hand has reached the same status while still being an active NBA player.
As told by Dinwiddie, James is also strong with his business game off the court. The King opened the ‘I Promise’ school in his hometown, Akron, Ohio. Not only that, but James also took to Europe to further expand his empire’s reach. James owns a minority stake in Liverpool FC alongside his business partner. It is safe to say that James’ impact on the global scale has been massive when compared to any other athlete.
The Laker has also helped young hoopers display their talents on a bigger scale through his basketball camps. he has contributed equally to the game on and off the court. LeBron James is a true definition of longevity, as the 39-year-old continues to thrive on the court. With his NBA career coming to an end, it is only to wonder how active he’ll be on the business side of his career.