NBA Stars Invest staggering salaries—often north of $40 million per year—in six key channels: business ventures, real estate, public & private securities, entrepreneurship, retirement vehicles, and impact investing. Without smart deployment, even the richest athletes can see their fortunes vanish.
How NBA Stars Invest in Business Ventures
SpringHill Company (LeBron James & Maverick Carter)
Origins & Consolidation
NBA Stars Invest early in storytelling by founding SpringHill Entertainment (2007) and Uninterrupted (2014), merging both with The Robot Company in 2020 to form SpringHill Company—valued at $725 million after a 2021 minority‐stake sale to RedBird Capital, Fenway Sports, Nike, and Epic Games .
Key Content & Financials
- Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)
- Budget: $150 million
- Box Office: $163.7 million worldwide (domestic $70.6 million) .
- Streaming Impact: Over 10 million HBO Max views in month one—boosted retention.
- The Shop (HBO Max)
- Seasons 1–5 (2021–2024)
- Sponsor: Grey Goose deal worth an estimated $6 million/season .
- 2023 Results:
- Revenue: $104 million; Net Loss: $28 million
- Merger with Fulwell 73 aims for profitability by Q4 2025 after headcount cut to 250 .
Granity Studios (Kobe Bryant)
Mission & Output
Founded in 2016, Granity Studios produced Dear Basketball (2017 Oscar-winning short) and The Wizenard Series(youth sports novels).
Financial Highlights
- Dear Basketball Netflix deal: ~$3 million licensing fee.
- Book Sales: 150,000+ copies → $1.2 million net revenue.
- Peacock Deal (2022): $10 million over 3 years for multi-project rights.
How NBA Stars Invest in Real Estate: Detailed Property Profiles
How NBA Stars Invest in Residential Properties
- LeBron James’s Akron Community Campus
- 2003 Purchase: $2.1 million for 30,000 sq ft
- 2018: Donated property to launch the I PROMISE School & House Three Thirty
- Current Valuation: $20–$25 million
- LeBron’s Beverly Hills Compound
- 2020 Land Purchase: $36.75 million (2.5 acres)
- Rebuild Cost: $70 million+ (40,000 sq ft mansion with court, pool)
- Projected Value: $100 million by 2026
- Brentwood Luxe Estate
- 2015 Buy: $20.5 million for 1 acre + outdated home
- Renovation: $15 million; current appraised $48 million
- Chris Paul’s Houston Mansion
- 2018–2020 Flip: Bought $7.5 million → sold $7.2 million (net $200k)
How NBA Stars Invest in Commercial, Mixed-Use & Sports Facilities
- Shaq Tower (Newark, NJ)
- Developer: Boraie Development
- Cost: $79 million for 22 stories, 168 units + 20,000 sq ft retail
- Occupancy: 95% leased in 6 months
- Carmelo Anthony’s Miami Retail Complex
- 2018 Purchase: $12 million for 25,000 sq ft strip center
- NOI: $1.05 million/year (9% cap)
- Russell Westbrook & OKC Stadium (MAPS 4)
- Project Cost: $200 million (75% public bonds, 25% private)
- Projected EBITDA: $12 million/year
How NBA Stars Invest in Stocks & Securities
Public Equities & ETFs
- LeBron James holds $12 million in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) and $4 million in Alphabet (GOOGL). He also owns 50,000 Nike shares (cost basis $75, now $100) and 3,000 Amazon shares (bought at $1,750, now $3,500).
- Kevin Durant invested $4 million for a PSG stake (now $12 million valuation) and 15,000 Coinbase shares (pre-IPO $150, now $310).
- Russell Westbrook allocates $8 million to broad-market index funds and $9 million equity in Tulco Holding—yielding $1.3 million in 2023 dividends (14% yield).
Private & Alternative Securities
- LeBron: $20 million across athlete-only private equity pools targeting 10–12% net returns.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: $500k in blockchain fintech Series A at $25 million cap (now $35 million valuation).
- Hedge funds: 5–8% allocation, ~6.5% net NAV growth in 2024.
How NBA Stars Invest in Startups & Brand Equity
35V & Boardroom (Kevin Durant)
- 35V Family Office: 100+ startup stakes in health-tech, fintech, D2C.
- Boardroom Media: $5–$8 million/yr from ads + $7/month premium (20K subs → $1.68 million ARR).
Tulco Holding (Russell Westbrook)
- $9 million for ~20% stake → 14% dividend yield ($1.3 million annual). Secondary round planned at $60 million valuation in 2026.
Stephen Curry & F45 Fitness
- 8 studios at $250k each ($2 million investment).
- $50k royalty/studio → $400k/yr; equity up 35% since 2021.
How NBA Stars Invest for Retirement & Longevity
- NBPA Pension: Vested after 3 years; max $300k/yr at 25 yrs play.
- Team 401(k): $22.5k limit + $7.5k catch-up; Roth IRAs ($6.5k/yr).
- Private Pensions: Lump-sum $5–$20 million contributions → 4–6% lifetime income.
- Annuities & Bonds: Fixed indexed annuities (floor 0%, cap 7% → 3–5% return); muni bonds ~3.2% tax-free.
How NBA Stars Invest with Philanthropy & Impact
- LeBron James Family Foundation: $41 million into I PROMISE School; $20 million bond fund for affordable housing; 95% grad rate vs. 65% city avg.
- Chris Paul Family Foundation: $10 million in CDFI bonds (4% yield) to build 5 youth fitness centers serving 2,500 kids/yr.
- Shaquille O’Neal’s Franchises: 311 total stores → $77 million gross; 10% profits to LSU scholarships ($5 million+ since 2016).
Lessons for Aspiring Investors
- Leverage Your Brand: NBA Stars Invest celebrity equity to secure better deals and financing.
- Diversify Wisely: Blend liquid ETFs with private equity and real estate for balanced risk/return.
- Anchor with Income Streams: Use pensions, annuities, and bonds to guarantee cash flow.
- Vet Advisors & Fees: Employ fiduciary advisors, negotiate transparent fees.
- Measure Impact: Track IRR on private deals, cap rates on property, subscriber growth on media.
Conclusion: Building Multigenerational Wealth
When NBA Stars Invest across media ventures, trophy real estate, blue-chip equities, startups, retirement vehicles, and impact initiatives, they engineer resilience and growth. By dissecting their deal sizes, purchase prices, ownership stakes, and performance outcomes, you can emulate an elite playbook:
- Own your niche like Kobe’s Granity or Paul’s youth centers.
- Balance growth and stability across markets and alternatives.
- Plan for lifetime income via pension trusts and muni bonds.
- Align money with mission through impact investing and philanthropy.
Adapt these strategies—document allocations, review quarterly, optimize annually—and you’ll be well on your way to building wealth that endures beyond your peak earning years.
