Basketball

LeBron James Net Worth: The First Billionaire Who Never Retired Most athletes build their business empire after they hang up their boots. LeBron James built his while still starting NBA games at age 41. He became the first active NBA player in history to reach billionaire status back in 2022, and by 2026 — now in his 24th professional season, having just signed with a new team — his fortune has grown to an estimated $1.4 billion, according to Forbes. A new chapter: leaving the Lakers for Philadelphia In one of the more surprising moves of his career, James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on 23 July 2026, on a two-year deal worth roughly $8 million that includes a player option for the second season. The move ends his run with the Los Angeles Lakers and puts him alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as he continues chasing championships deep into his forties. It’s a modest contract by the financial standards he’s used to — a reflection of how thoroughly his wealth now depends on business income rather than his playing salary. Where the fortune actually comes from James’s NBA career earnings have surpassed $581 million across 22-plus seasons, itself one of the largest salary hauls in league history. But that figure, as staggering as it is, represents only part of his overall net worth. His lifetime partnership with Nike, signed in 2015, is reportedly worth more than $1 billion on its own, paying an estimated $32 million a year and including equity participation rather than a flat endorsement fee — a structure that’s continued paying dividends well beyond what a traditional sponsorship deal would. Beyond basketball: an equity-first strategy What sets James apart from most athletes of his generation is a deliberate strategy of taking ownership stakes rather than simple endorsement cheques. His media company, The SpringHill Company, produces films, television, and branded content, and has become a genuine business in its own right rather than a vanity project. He holds equity in Fenway Sports Group, giving him exposure to major sports properties including Liverpool FC, and owns a stake in Blaze Pizza, now operating around 21 locations. Combined with long-running endorsement relationships with Sprite, Beats by Dre, AT&T, Walmart, and others, it’s a genuinely diversified portfolio built for the decades after his playing career ends, not just during it. The Bronny milestone In 2024, James achieved a goal he’d spoken about publicly for years when his eldest son, Bronny, was drafted by the Lakers — making them the first active father-son duo to play together in NBA history. It was a genuinely rare, sentimental moment layered on top of an already historic career, and one that added another dimension to James’s public profile beyond the business and basketball numbers. How his wealth compares to Jordan’s The natural comparison, given how often the two are mentioned together, is to Michael Jordan — and the honest answer is that Jordan remains significantly wealthier, with an estimated net worth in the $3.8 to $4.3 billion range compared to James’s roughly $1.4 billion. The meaningful difference isn’t just the size of the gap, though; it’s the timeline. Jordan built the overwhelming majority of his fortune after retiring, primarily through Nike royalties on a brand that’s continued growing for over two decades since his final NBA game. James, by contrast, became a billionaire while still an active, starting NBA player — a genuinely different and arguably harder trick to pull off, building a business empire in parallel with an ongoing professional career rather than after it ended. Where things stand LeBron James enters his 24th NBA season with a fresh team, a modest playing contract by his own historical standards, and a business empire that continues generating far more income than his on-court salary ever could alone. Whatever happens competitively in Philadelphia, his financial legacy — as the athlete who proved you could build billion-dollar wealth without waiting for retirement — is already secure. Quick facts Full name: LeBron Raymone James Sr.  |  Born: 30 December 1984, Akron, Ohio  |  Current club: Philadelphia 76ers (signed July 2026)  |  Net worth (2026): approximately $1.4 billion (Forbes)  |  Notable: First active NBA player to reach billionaire status (2022), NBA’s all-time leading scorer, four-time NBA champion, lifetime Nike partnership worth over $1 billion. Frequently asked questions What is LeBron James’s net worth in 2026?Approximately $1.4 billion, according to Forbes, making him one of the wealthiest athletes in the world and the first active NBA player ever to reach billionaire status. Which team does LeBron James play for now?The Philadelphia 76ers, having signed a two-year deal on 23 July 2026 after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. Is LeBron James richer than Michael Jordan?No — Jordan’s net worth, estimated between $3.8 and $4.3 billion, remains significantly higher, though James is the only athlete to reach billionaire status while still actively playing. How much has LeBron James earned in NBA salary?Over $581 million across his career, one of the largest salary totals in league history, though it represents only part of his overall net worth. What are LeBron James’s biggest business ventures?A lifetime Nike deal worth over $1 billion, The SpringHill Company media business, an equity stake in Fenway Sports Group (including Liverpool FC), and ownership in Blaze Pizza.

Angel Reese: From LSU Champion to a Fresh Start in Atlanta Few young players have generated as much attention, on and off the court, as Angel Reese since she turned professional. A national championship at LSU, back-to-back WNBA All-Star selections, and a genuinely dominant rebounding record have defined her game — and in 2026, a trade to a new franchise gave her career its next chapter. A championship college career Reese was born on 6 May 2002 in Randallstown, Maryland, and played college basketball first at Maryland before transferring to LSU, where she became a genuine star. She led LSU to the 2023 NCAA championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honours at the Final Four and unanimous First-team All-American recognition. She followed it with SEC Player of the Year honours as a senior in 2024, alongside multiple further All-American selections across her college career. An immediate WNBA impact The Chicago Sky selected Reese with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and she made an instant impression, earning an All-Star selection and setting the league’s single-season rebounding record in her rookie year. She backed it up with a second consecutive All-Star nod in 2025, leading the WNBA in rebounding in both of her seasons with the club and recording her first career triple-double along the way — genuine statistical dominance on the boards that quickly became her calling card. Success in the Unrivaled league too Beyond the WNBA, Reese has also competed in Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league that launched in 2025. She won the inaugural championship with Rose BC and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year that same season, adding another title to her growing résumé. Her participation in the league’s second season in 2026 was more limited — she initially opted out before rejoining Rose BC late in the year, helping the team reach the playoffs before a first-round exit. The trade to Atlanta In April 2026, Reese was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream, in a deal that saw Chicago receive future first-round draft picks in return. The move ended her two-season run with the franchise that drafted her, and she’s continued producing at an All-Star level in her new environment — recording her third consecutive All-Star selection in 2026 and helping Atlanta build one of the better records in the league that season. An emotional return to Chicago When Reese returned to the Midwest for the 2026 All-Star Game following her trade, Chicago fans gave her a warm ovation, a genuinely touching moment given the two productive seasons she’d given the franchise. Reese appeared visibly moved by the reception and responded with her own gratitude toward the fans who’d supported her rookie and sophomore campaigns. What makes her game distinctive Reese’s game is built overwhelmingly around elite rebounding and physical interior play, a left-handed forward who consistently ranks among the league’s leaders on the boards while also contributing solid scoring and playmaking numbers. Her ability to record double-doubles with genuine consistency — stacking up 17 or more in individual seasons — has made her one of the most statistically reliable frontcourt players in the WNBA since her rookie year. Where her career stands Angel Reese’s career so far has moved from a national championship at LSU to genuine WNBA stardom in remarkably short order — three consecutive All-Star selections, multiple rebounding titles, and now a fresh chapter with the Atlanta Dream after her trade from Chicago. Still only in her mid-twenties, with a statistical foundation built on some of the most consistent rebounding numbers in the league, she remains one of the WNBA’s most closely watched young frontcourt players. Quick facts Full name: Angel Reese  |  Born: 6 May 2002, Randallstown, Maryland  |  Team: Atlanta Dream (traded from Chicago Sky, April 2026)  |  Notable: 2023 NCAA champion and Final Four MOP with LSU, three-time WNBA All-Star, two-time WNBA rebounding leader, 2025 Unrivaled champion and Defensive Player of the Year. Frequently asked questions Which team does Angel Reese play for now?The Atlanta Dream, following a trade from the Chicago Sky in April 2026. Did Angel Reese win a national championship in college?Yes — she led LSU to the 2023 NCAA title and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player. How many WNBA All-Star selections does Angel Reese have?Three, in each of her first three professional seasons (2024, 2025, and 2026). What is Angel Reese known for as a player?Elite rebounding — she’s led the WNBA in rebounds in multiple seasons and has recorded numerous double-doubles, including a career triple-double. Has Angel Reese played in the Unrivaled league?Yes — she won the inaugural 2025 championship with Rose BC and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Holly Winterburn: A British Guard’s Long Road to the WNBA Making a WNBA roster is difficult enough for American college stars who’ve spent their whole lives inside the domestic basketball pipeline. Doing it as a British player who’s spent most of her career in European leagues, after going undrafted, is a considerably steeper climb. Holly Winterburn has spent the past year proving it’s possible — even after being cut from one WNBA roster along the way. From Northampton to Oregon, and back to Europe Winterburn was born on 1 October 2000 in Northampton, England, and built her early career in Britain, playing for the Leicester Riders from 2015 to 2019 before a season at the University of Oregon in 2019-2020. Rather than staying in American college basketball, she returned to the Leicester Riders and then moved into a genuinely well-travelled European club career: the London Lions from 2021 to 2024, Beşiktaş in Turkey through 2025, and Athinaikos in Greece for the 2025-26 season. A decorated European career Winterburn’s résumé in domestic British and European competition is genuinely substantial: five-time Women’s British Basketball League Betty Codona Trophy champion, three-time WBBL League champion, three-time WBBL Play-off champion, and a two-time WBBL Cup winner, alongside being named the league’s Young Player of the Year three times early in her career. She added a FIBA EuroCup Women title with Beşiktaş in 2024 and reached the EuroCup final again in 2026, along with winning the Greek Women’s Basketball League title, play-offs, and cup with Athinaikos. Going undrafted, then signing anyway Winterburn went undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft, a common outcome for international players without a US college pedigree built up over multiple seasons. She signed with the Atlanta Dream as a free agent regardless, only to be ruled out for the 2025 season entirely due to injury before playing a game. Cut, then a fresh chance in Portland Winterburn made Atlanta’s roster for the 2026 season and appeared in preseason action, but was ultimately cut by the Dream. In a genuinely dramatic turn, reports indicated she learned the news while literally getting on the team bus. Rather than her WNBA opportunity ending there, the Portland Fire signed her to a developmental contract in May 2026, giving her a second chance to establish herself in the league. She’s featured in limited minutes across her appearances with both clubs, contributing modest but genuine WNBA-level production as she works to carve out a consistent role. Representing Great Britain Beyond her club career, Winterburn plays for the Great Britain women’s national basketball team, giving her international experience alongside her club commitments across three different countries’ domestic leagues. Where her career stands Holly Winterburn’s path — a British basketball upbringing, a single season of American college ball, a genuinely decorated European club career, and a WNBA journey that’s included going undrafted, an injury-wiped season, and being cut before finding a new opportunity in Portland — reflects just how difficult and nonlinear the route into America’s top women’s basketball league can be for international players. Her perseverance through that sequence of setbacks speaks to a genuine commitment to establishing herself at the highest level the sport offers. Quick facts Full name: Holly Winterburn  |  Born: 1 October 2000, Northampton, England  |  Team: Portland Fire (WNBA, developmental contract)  |  Notable: Five-time WBBL Betty Codona Trophy champion, 2024 FIBA EuroCup Women champion with Beşiktaş, Great Britain women’s national team player. Frequently asked questions What team does Holly Winterburn play for?The Portland Fire in the WNBA, having signed a developmental contract in May 2026 after being cut by the Atlanta Dream. Where is Holly Winterburn from?Northampton, England; she’s played for the Great Britain women’s national basketball team. Did Holly Winterburn play college basketball in the US?Yes, one season at the University of Oregon in 2019-2020, before returning to British and European club basketball. What titles has Holly Winterburn won in Europe?Multiple WBBL titles in Britain and a FIBA EuroCup Women championship with Beşiktaş in 2024, among other domestic honours in Greece and Turkey. Was Holly Winterburn drafted into the WNBA?No — she went undrafted in 2025 but signed with the Atlanta Dream as a free agent regardless.

Michael Jordan Net Worth: The Billionaire Built After Basketball Michael Jordan earned roughly $90 million playing basketball across 15 NBA seasons — genuinely serious money for an athlete of his era, and yet barely a rounding error next to what came after. According to Forbes’ 2026 rankings, Jordan’s net worth now stands at $4.3 billion, up from $3.8 billion the year before, making him not just the wealthiest former athlete on the planet, but a case study in how sports fame can be turned into a lasting business empire. The Nike deal that changed everything The cornerstone of Jordan’s fortune remains his partnership with Nike, widely considered the most lucrative athlete-brand relationship in sports history. The Jordan Brand, operating as a subsidiary of Nike, generated $7.3 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025 alone — a genuinely staggering figure for a product line built around a player who last suited up for the NBA in 2003. Jordan receives a royalty on that revenue rather than a fixed salary, meaning his income from the brand has continued growing for more than two decades after his playing career ended, even through a roughly 16% revenue dip from the brand’s peak. The Hornets, and life after ownership Jordan became majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010, and the rising valuation of NBA franchises over the following decade turned that stake into a significant part of his overall wealth. He sold his majority interest in 2023 but reportedly retained a minority stake, meaning he continues to benefit from the franchise’s ongoing appreciation even without day-to-day ownership responsibilities. A diversified portfolio beyond basketball Jordan’s business interests extend well past his signature shoe line and former team ownership. He holds a stake in 23XI Racing, a NASCAR Cup Series team he co-owns alongside Denny Hamlin, which held the top two positions in the Cup standings through the first three races of the 2026 season. He’s also invested in DraftKings, the premium tequila brand Cincoro, and a range of restaurant and automotive dealership ventures, part of a genuinely broad diversification strategy that’s insulated his wealth from any single industry’s ups and downs. How his wealth compares Jordan’s $4.3 billion fortune places him at roughly 984th among the world’s richest people overall, but within sports, the gap to the next-wealthiest athletes is enormous. LeBron James, himself a billionaire through a combination of NBA earnings and business ventures, sits at an estimated $1.4 billion — meaning Jordan’s net worth is nearly three times larger. It’s a genuinely rare outcome: an athlete whose post-retirement business decisions generated far more wealth than his playing career ever did, at a scale few other retired sports figures have come close to matching. Where the wealth actually comes from It’s worth being precise about the sources here, since Jordan’s fortune isn’t simply “basketball money.” His NBA salary across 15 seasons totalled under $100 million. Everything beyond that — the multi-billion-dollar figure reported by Forbes — comes from the Nike royalty structure, franchise ownership and its eventual partial sale, and a genuinely diversified set of outside business investments built up steadily since his final retirement from the NBA in 2003. Where things stand Michael Jordan’s financial story has become almost as influential in sports business circles as his on-court legacy is in basketball itself — frequently cited as the model for how modern athletes think about turning short playing careers into decades-long earning power through equity, ownership, and brand partnerships rather than salary alone. More than two decades removed from his last NBA game, his fortune is, by every recent measure, still growing. Quick facts Full name: Michael Jeffrey Jordan  |  Born: 17 February 1963, Brooklyn, New York  |  Net worth (2026): $4.3 billion (Forbes)  |  Notable: Six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, wealthiest former professional athlete in the world, majority stakeholder (2010-2023) and continued minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, co-owner of NASCAR’s 23XI Racing. Frequently asked questions What is Michael Jordan’s net worth in 2026?According to Forbes, approximately $4.3 billion, up from $3.8 billion the previous year. How much did Michael Jordan earn playing basketball?Roughly $90 million across his 15 NBA seasons — a small fraction of his current net worth, which comes primarily from business and brand income. Is Michael Jordan the richest former athlete in the world?Yes, by a wide margin — his net worth is roughly three times that of LeBron James, the next-wealthiest retired or active athlete. Does Michael Jordan still own the Charlotte Hornets?He sold his majority stake in 2023 but reportedly retained a minority ownership interest in the team. What is the biggest source of Michael Jordan’s wealth?His royalty deal with Nike through the Jordan Brand, which generated $7.3 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025 alone.