Does LeBron James’ new contract extension make him the highest paid NBA player in 2022?

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LeBron James’ latest two-year extension agreement with the LeBron James makes him the highest-paid NBA player in the history of the league.

LeBron James, a four-time NBA regular-season MVP and arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, made $97 in two years with the Lakers.

One million (AUD 140 million) contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The new sports deal also includes a third-year player option that James could exercise to keep him in the league through 2025, but more importantly, the pay cheque is rolling in.

LeBron James
Image Credits – Entrepreneur

Even if James doesn’t exercise his third-year option, the recent contract extension will take his guaranteed earnings to more than $532 million (AUD$767 million), making him the highest-paid player in NBA history.

Not bad for “just a kid from Akron”. First reported by ESPN, LeBron James’ new contract extension is an important development for a number of reasons.

The announcement not only cements James at the top of the basketball revenue list, thanks to a 15 percent commercial kicker built into the deal but also keeps a longtime player’s dream alive.

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LeBron James and his son Bronny James

For years, NBA fans have speculated that the Space Jam star wouldn’t retire until his eldest son, Bronny, found his way through the league and established an adorable father-son narrative that has come to dominate sports media and a new intrigue would spawn in the game.

At the start of the 2025 season, Bronny will be 20 years old and ready to debut as a rookie alongside his famous father.

LeBron James aiming to reach a new milestone in his NBA career

The new contract extension also confirms that James is on course to break another record in the NBA. The 17-time All-Star sits just 1,315 points behind NBA all-time leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, meaning he only needs an average of 16.2 points per game to clinch the title.

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Does LeBron James' new contract extension make him the highest paid NBA player in 2022? 4

Barring something catastrophic, it should be an easy task for James, who has averaged 27.1 points in 19 seasons in the league. Considering James already holds the record for most All-NBA selections, most All-NBA first-team honors, most consecutive double-digit point games.

He has the esteemed honor of being the only player in NBA history to do so who scored at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists, is another record to add to the legacy.

Perhaps most impressively, this record-breaking mentality seems to run in the family. By the time Bronny finally makes it to the league, he’ll already have the record for the best father-son duo in NBA history, although he really can’t give that much credit.

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