Why Basketball King James Is Passing Up 100 Million

The money that LeBron James voluntarily gave up this summer is more than 99 percent of all professional athletes will ever earn in their careers. The 41-year-old superstar will receive approximately eight million U.S. dollars (about 6.95 million euros) to play basketball for his new club, the Philadelphia 76ers, over the next two seasons.

If James had re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons, he could have earned an additional $100 million or so. But why did the four-time NBA champion—who, according to Forbes, became the first active NBA player to become a billionaire—decide against another stint in sunny California?

While some on social media accuse James of distorting competition, others praise him for his selfless decision to step aside in the late stages of his career. Here’s a look at the different perspectives on this deal, which is the first of its kind in NBA history.

"I'm still willing to make sacrifices"

For the greatest basketball player of his era, it’s no longer about the money, but about his legacy. Among experts, the only debate regarding James is whether he or Michael Jordan is the greatest professional player in NBA history. James made history by becoming the first player to take the court alongside his son (Bronny) on the same team.

In his 24th and 25th NBA seasons (no other pro has ever played more than 22 seasons), King James is focused on just one thing: on-court success. With the Sixers, the global sports star is seeking his chance at a fifth championship ring. His rival, Jordan, won six titles during his career. James, on the other hand, has appeared in the Finals a total of ten times.

Michael Jordan won six NBA championships during his extraordinary career.

Keystone

“I still want to make sacrifices. I still want to work. I still want to fight hard,” James said, explaining his decision. After the team’s decisive elimination from the NBA playoffs, he had apparently also considered retiring. But instead of stepping away, James is now once again in the spotlight more than ever. Similar to the famous Jordan documentary “The Last Dance,” which was released in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, James’s next season is also set to be filmed.

Critics and Competitors

Not everyone praised James for his decision. Even before the superstar put an end to the weeks-long suspense, TV analyst Charles Barkley had remarked that anything other than a return to Cleveland wouldn’t make sense. With any other option, “he’d just be chasing after Jordan,” Barkley noted.

James' longtime rival Kevin Durant even compares the Sixers to the Golden State Warriors, with whom he and three-point specialist Stephen Curry dominated the league nearly ten years ago. “They have four players who score 25 points a game. So, of course, I think they’re one of the title contenders,” Durant said.

In addition to James, the Sixers also brought Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia this summer. Point guard Tyrese Maxey and the injury-prone Joel Embiid were already part of the team that lost in the second round of the previous season to the eventual champions, the New York Knicks.

What does the NBA say?

The league and its commissioner, Adam Silver, are especially glad that James has finally announced his decision after the process dragged on for several weeks. Silver had significantly increased the pressure on James in July.

“We need to finalize the schedule—and where LeBron plays in the future will affect our planning. It will influence how we plan the first week and Christmas. That’s why he needs to make a decision,” said the NBA commissioner. For Silver, the most important thing is that James remains with the league as its star attraction for at least one more year—preferably two.

And: The closer James and the Sixers get to the Finals, the better. An NBA Finals series between the San Antonio Spurs—featuring the exceptional talent Victor Wembanyama—and Philadelphia, with James, would be the best-case scenario for Silver.