Rewind to the time tycoon Warren Buffett praised LeBron James for his savvy business sense

Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James is widely recognized as one of the greatest—if not the greatest—players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, as evidenced by his illustrious achievements, including being the league’s all-time leading scorer.

James demonstrated why he remains a contender for the “Greatest of All Time” status by continuing to perform at an elite level at the age of 40 during the 2024–25 season. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, clearly emerging as the Lakers’ best player.

His intense dedication to diet and fitness, combined with his exceptional skill, has put him on track to return for his 23rd NBA season—breaking the record he currently shares with league legend Vince Carter.

In addition to his on-court excellence, James is also known for his savvy business acumen. He is currently the only active NBA player with a net worth exceeding one billion dollars.

According to Forbes, there are 12 billionaire athletes in the world, but only two—LeBron James and golf icon Tiger Woods—achieved billionaire status while still actively competing in their respective sports.

Warren Buffet told me once and he said always follow your gut. When you have that gut feeling, you have to go with don’t go back on it.

~LeBron James

— The EQ Booster (@TheEQBooster) March 17, 2022

Legendary investor and fifth-richest person in the world, Warren Buffett, revealed in a 2012 interview with the Miami Herald that he is a big fan of James and admires the superstar’s business sense.

“You have to get to know him. LeBron James is not initially really talkative. He is savvy. He is smart about financial matters. It’s amazing to me the maturity he exhibits. I know that if I had been famous at that age, I would have had trouble keeping my feet on the ground,” Buffett said.

Buffett, no stranger to business success himself, has expressed admiration for James’ ventures off the court. The 40-year-old earns staggering sums from sponsorships, with major deals from Nike, Pepsi, and AT&T. He also holds ownership stakes in SpringHill Company, Blaze Pizza, a Major League Pickleball team, an NHL franchise, Serie A giants A.C. Milan, and Fenway Sports Group, which owns English Premier League club Liverpool.

On the professional front, James is widely expected to exercise his player option with the Lakers for the 2025–26 season. He is currently in the second year of a two-year, $101.36 million contract and is set to earn approximately $52.6 million in the upcoming season.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.