The World's Richest Five Sports Stars: LeBron James at the Bottom, Cristiano Ronaldo Only Fourth, and the Top is from China

With the rapid development of the times, today's athletes have also become a high-income group. Some athletes have even turned their accumulated salaries on the field into a business career after retirement, becoming super-rich billionaires. So, let's talk about the top five richest sports stars in the world.

LeBron James

As the face of the NBA in this era, LeBron James has earned $580 m i l l i o n i n s a l a r y t h r o u g h o u t h i s c a r e e r, a n d h i s a n n u a l o f f - c o u r t i n c o m e i s a s h i g h a s t e n s o f m i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s, i n c l u d i n g e n d o r s e m e n t s s u c h a s N i k e, P e p s i, a n d W a l m a r t . I n a d d i t i o n, J a m e s i s a l s o a m i n o r i t y s h a r e h o l d e r i n L i v e r p o o l, w h i c h b r i n g s h i m a c o n s i d e r a b l e i n c o m e e v e r y y e a r . A c c o r d i n g t o F o r b e s, J a m e s^{'} c u r r e n t a s s e t s a m o u n t t o$ 580millioninsalarythroughouthiscareer,andhisannualoff−courtincomeisashighastensofmillionsofdollars,includingendorsementssuchasNike,Pepsi,andWalmart.Inaddition,JamesisalsoaminorityshareholderinLiverpool,whichbringshimaconsiderableincomeeveryyear.AccordingtoForbes,James′currentassetsamountto1.7 billion, second only to Jordan among basketball players.
Cristiano Ronaldo

In 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo became the highest-paid active athlete again with $275 m i l l i o n, w h i l e J a m e s h a d o n l y$ 275million,whileJameshadonly125 million. As one of the most influential players in the football world, Ronaldo's annual salary is as high as 200 million euros, and he also earns a lot from commercial endorsements. This includes international top brands such as Nike, Herbalife, and Armani. To date, Ronaldo's total assets are $1.76 billion.
Tiger Woods

"Tiger" Woods has achieved great success in the golf world, with multiple championship titles and numerous records set during his career. It is estimated that Woods' prize money on the golf course exceeds $180 m i l l i o n, b u t t h i s a c c o u n t s f o r l e s s t h a n 10$ 180million,butthisaccountsforlessthan102.66 billion.
Michael Jordan

"Basketball God" Michael Jordan's entire career salary was only $93 m i l l i o n, b u t w i t h h i s e x c e l l e n t i n v e s t m e n t v i s i o n a n d r i c h n e t w o r k o f c o n t a c t s, h e b u i l t a h u g e c o m m e r c i a l e m p i r e a f t e r r e t i r e m e n t . I n a d d i t i o n t o o w n i n g t h e s a l e s d i v i d e n d r i g h t s o f t h e A J b r a n d, J o r d a n a l s o a c q u i r e d t h e B o b c a t s i n 2010, b e c o m i n g t h e f i r s t p l a y e r - t u r n e d o w n e r i n t h e N B A . I n 2023, J o r d a n s o l d a l a r g e p o r t i o n o f h i s s h a r e s f o r$ 93million,butwithhisexcellentinvestmentvisionandrichnetworkofcontacts,hebuiltahugecommercialempireafterretirement.InadditiontoowningthesalesdividendrightsoftheAJbrand,JordanalsoacquiredtheBobcatsin2010,becomingthefirstplayer−turnedownerintheNBA.In2023,Jordansoldalargeportionofhissharesfor3 billion, earning billions of dollars. According to Forbes, Jordan's current assets are $3.75 billion.
Li Ning

Li Ning is a legendary figure in Chinese gymnastics, winning 17 world championships during his athletic career. After retiring, the brand he founded, which bears his name, has become an international first-line sports equipment brand, with a market value of as high as HK $39.186 b i l l i o n . A s t h e f o u n d e r a n d s h a r e h o l d e r o f t h e L i N i n g b r a n d, L i N i n g^{'} s t o t a l a s s e t s h a v e r e a c h e d R M B 35.536 b i l l i o n, a p p r o x i m a t e l y$ 39.186billion.AsthefounderandshareholderoftheLiNingbrand,LiNing′stotalassetshavereachedRMB35.536billion,approximately4.848 billion.