Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James could become an NBA or NFL team owner in the future, according to his business partner Maverick Carter.
In an interview with Audrey Cleo of Variety, Carter said he and James are already making plans for his next move after his playing career is over. Among James' plans is owning an NBA or NFL squad.
"Yeah, 10 years from now ... I know LeBron will be owning a basketball team or maybe even a football team," Carter says. "He does like football and he's looked at football ownership, so he'll be owning a basketball team and running it."
In the offseason, James signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Lakers. Before signing the deal, James has already earned around $237 million from his basketball contracts through the 2017-18 season.
James Making Money From Endorsements
Aside from this, James is making money from endorsements. In the latest Forbes Magazine ranking of highest-paid celebrities, James ranked sixth with an estimated earnings of $85.5 million. From that amount, $52 million came from endorsements.
Recently, James also invested in a European soccer team, holding a 2 percent stake in Liverpool. Initially, James invested $6.5 million, but the value has gone up to $32.5 million after seven years when Liverpool made it to the Champions League final.
If James pursues his dream of owning an NBA or NFL team, he will follow the footsteps of Michael Jordan, who owns the Charlotte Hornets. Lakers president Magic Johnson also has an ownership stake with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Currently, James is backing a pizza franchise in Blaze Pizza and holds a minority stake in Beats By Dre audio brand.
"They are more than just athletes, but sometimes the world doesn't see them that way," Carter says. "Once the world sees you as that one thing, and the better you are at that thing, the more you can only be that thing."
Lakers Could Give James A Larger Platform For His Businesses
Los Angeles could also give James a larger platform for his business interests, especially his film production company. James owns SpringHill Entertainment, which creates documentaries, and Uninterrupted, a media production company that gives athletes an avenue to show their other side.
In addition, James is also set to star in Space Jam 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 film which starred Michael Jordan. It was expected that the release of the film's trailer will coincide with James' free-agent decision, but it did not push through.
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