“I’m 15 and I knew that this is business”: Billionaire LeBron James once revealed how organizations profited from his talents during high school days

Long before he entered the NBA as an 18-year-old, LeBron James was already a nationally recognized brand. And about 22 years later, he is still the biggest brand in the NBA. "The King", in a sit-down conversation with Kevin Durant and co., explained how his stardom as a high school kid made him realize the commercial nature of the sport.

How did LeBron James realize this?

LeBron James was already a national phenomenon at the age of 15. He said in the interview, that during his freshman year at St. Vincent-St. Mary, they had to shift the first home game to the University of Akron.

He also revealed that nearly 6,000 people turned up to watch him play, which made him realize that the whole sport is "business."

"My first home game, my sophomore year is at the University of Akron, which is like 6,000 people. ... Right then and there as a sophomore, I'm 15 and knew that this is a business," LeBron said.

The even scarier part is that his freshman year games were released on a pay-per-view basis, it was revealed. This really puts into perspective, how much pressure and media attention LeBron already had on him as he entered the NBA draft as possibly the most hyped draft prospect ever.

With such high expectations and comparisons with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan before even stepping onto the NBA floor, LeBron James blazed through his career.

After winning countless accolades, both individual and collective, breaking almost every record in the league, and sitting alone at the top of the scoring charts, James became a certified selection in the NBA Mount Rushmore (as Stephen A. Smith likes to call it).

And as of 2024, the same 15-year-old kid who was once selling out college arenas as a high school freshman is now a billion-dollar brand.

Established as the poster boy for countless international companies, selling out NBA arenas all across the country and still being the highest vote getter in every All-Star vote, LeBron James was, is and always will be one of the biggest names to ever play the game of basketball.