Michael Jordan, Lindsey Vonn, Michael Phelps and Other Millionaire Olympians Who Earned Massive Amounts Just From Endorsement Deals

Michael Jordan and LeBron James are two of the biggest stars of basketball. Not only basketball, but the two are global names in the whole sports industry. Michael Jordan made his debut in 1984. He was the face of the league ever since his debut. In the 80s and 90s, MJ was probably the biggest star of the league.

Jordan was the first NBA star who started endorsement deals at the time. When Nike signed Jordan in his rookie year, not only did it start a fortune for him, but it also started a trend of players being associated with brands in the future of the NBA.

LeBron James started his career in the same year Michael Jordan took his last retirement. Jordan retired for the 3rd and final time in 2003 and that was the year when LeBron made his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was somewhat of a passing of the torch. Ever since his debut, he became a young star destined for greatness. Almost the same as Michael Jordan, LeBron James also started his career with big money deals. One of them was once again with Nike.

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In addition to being considered two of the best basketball players ever, both Michael and LeBron have also earned big money from huge endorsement deals. 

Michael Jordan and LeBron James’ earning millions from different brands

The name Michael Jordan is a brand in itself. In his retirement, he only made his name a global brand more than it already was. In addition to creating the Air Jordan brand of sneakers for Nike, as well as reigning as principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets NBA team, the two-time Olympic gold medalist has been a spokesman for a lot of brands. These include Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Hanes, and Wheaties.

From his massive net worth, he only earned around 6% which turns out to be around $90 million. According to Forbes, Michael has earned over $1.8 billion through sponsorships and endorsement deals over all these years.

Same as Jordan, LeBron is also a two-time olympian along with his other countless achievements in the field of basketball. He is an undisputed legend of the NBA. As far as sponsorships go, LeBron James’ endorsements include Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, Dunkin’ Brands, McDonald’s, Nike, State Farm, and Samsung.

He became the 5th highest earning athlete in 2021, making around $96.5 million in a year. Moreover, that is different from the four-year, $153 million deal, signed with the Lakers in 2018.

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Other than the two NBA legends, Lindsey Vonn is also among the athletes with big-money endorsement deals. The 4 time Olympian is the greatest female skier in the history of the sport. So she earns the money which does justice to her reputation. Her brand deals include endorsements from Rolex, Oakley, Under Armour, and Red Bull.

Another name on the list is another best athlete in his sport. The most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps holds the all-time record for total Olympic gold medals. He has won the top prize of the Games 23 times and 28 medals overall. The greatest swimmer ever earns a huge amount of money from sponsors: Speedo, Subway, Visa, PowerBar, AT&T, and Under Armour.

Other Olympians earning big money from multiple endorsement deals include legends like Alex Morgan, Michelle Kwan, Shaun White, Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Roger Federer.