Lebron, Inc.: The Making of a Billion-Dollar Athlete

In workmanlike prose, sportswriter Windhorst (Return of the King) focuses on NBA superstar Lebron James’s life as a highly successful businessman. James earned $765 million in salary and endorsements during his 19 years in the NBA, and, as Windhorst writes, “LeBron’s awareness of how he can use his celebrity and popularity to gain leverage in business transactions has fed his bottom line and enabled him to funnel money to charities he cares about without having to reach into his own pocket.” Windhorst chronicles how James evolved from being a high school, first-round draft pick who lived in poverty, to a superstar who had deals with Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Nike, and others. Windhorst also notes James’s less-than-stellar business gambles, such as the ill-fated Decision TV show in 2010, where Lebron announced that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat. James’s impoverished upbringing, Windhorst points out, fueled his interest in philanthropic projects, which include building a school for disadvantaged students in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Whether James “reaches his goal of team ownership or he finds a new pursuit is yet to be seen,” Windhorst writes, but “his horizons are still expanding.” This is a shoo-in for business-minded sports fans. [em](Apr.) [/em]