Unlike many of his fellow NBA superstars, LeBron James' early life was not one of privilege. He spent his childhood moving between apartments in the rougher neighborhoods of his hometown, Akron. And with his mother, Gloria, struggling to make ends meet, James learned the value of hard work and the importance of every dollar from a young age.
It's a mindset he continues to embrace to this day. Despite earning a mind-numbing $528,695,302 in salary over the course of his decorated 22-year NBA career, James admitted to feeling hesitant whenever he's making crucial business decisions, fearful of having to start from scratch.
When everyone sees the flashy jewelry, the expensive cars and the massive mansion James has, they're quick to assume that he loves to splurge and live a lavish lifestyle. However, the reality is far from it. LeBron has always been very calculated and strategic with his finances.
Growing up in poverty taught him the importance of being financially responsible and making wise investments. That's why, despite amassing generational wealth, James still holds that innate fear of losing it all with one wrong decision.
"It's hard for me sometimes to take risks," the Los Angeles Lakers superstar shared in a talk with PEOPLE.
LeBron's circle has grown substantially from his days as a young prodigy who dominated the high school scene while playing for the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish. Despite that, he divulged that he's not the risk-taker some of his friends are, especially when it comes to businesses and investments.
"I have a lot of more risky friends, and friends that are less risky," LeBron revealed. "But for me, like, when I'm talking to my business partners and s— like that, financial advisers, you know, accountants, all that type of s—."
In fact, James let his financial adviser know from the outset that he wouldn't tolerate any shenanigans; everything had to be above board.
"My financial adviser, the first thing I told him when he wanted to manage my money was if you steal my money, bro, or if I'm broke, bro, I'm letting you know, bro, it ain't going to be good for you," he unabashedly stated.
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Long before he became King James, LeBron knew what it was like to have next to nothing. Growing up in poverty, he watched his mother struggle to provide for him, which led her to decide that he should stay with Frank Walker, a local youth football coach, so that he could be better cared for. As a result, he has a deep fear of losing what he has worked extremely hard for.
"I swear to God, I'm really like that, because I can't start over. There's no way. None of us sitting here can start over. I'm not Monopoly-ing this. I'm not starting back at, 'Pass go and you collect $200 to start back at go,' No, too far gone at this point," he declared.
While many NBA players are known for extravagant spending, indulging in material luxuries with little restraint, James has chosen a more thoughtful approach to managing his wealth. Aware that he cannot play professional basketball forever, he's meticulous with his finances, saving and preparing for life after the NBA.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.