Why Lebron May Be The G.O.A.T

brilliance on the court is otherworldly but his moves off of the court are unparalleled. LeBron realized very early that he was the one who produced value, not an agent or marketing rep in the background. With that understanding, LeBron used his platform to empower other Black entrepreneurs in a way that few in sports and entertainment have ever done.

Rich Paul is the man behind Klutch Sports Group. Paul’s client list reads like a Who’s Who of the NBA. When Paul met LeBron he was selling jerseys out of his car. James was impressed with Paul and brought him into his inner circle. LeBron waited patiently while Paul learned the business from more experienced sports agents and once Paul launched Klutch Sports, James was a client.

Maverick Carter played basketball with James in high school. Carter was a student at the University of Akron when he decided to become a field rep full time for Nike. It wasn’t simply an internship with Nike but a grooming period in preparation to run LeBron’s business affairs. Carter has gone on to secure a variety of landmark deals for James far beyond sneakers. Carter helped orchestrate LeBron's partial stake in the Liverpool Football Club, a soccer team worth over $2 billion.

Randy Mims has likely known LeBron longer than anyone, says LeBron’s own family. The two met at the age of 5 and have been connected since. Mims is one of the founders of LRMR sports marketing company. LRMR is an acronym for LeBron, Rich, Maverick and Randy. All of LeBron’s marketing contracts go through LRMR. Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse once said of LRMR, “This is the future of sports and sports marketing.”

LeBron James has created other Black millionaires. He gave them a broader platform to build their legacies and create even more opportunities for others. LeBron saw that he had the ability to create Black wealth for others and was intentional about doing so. Root for whomever you’d like but LeBron James will always be the G.O.A.T.