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18. LeBron James
Cavaliers at Wizards 11/21/14
Earnings: $65M
Athlete, NBA
James is the first NBA player to appear in five straight NBA Finals since the Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1960s. The NBA’s four-time MVP returned to Cleveland in July 2014 when he signed a two-year, $42.1 million contract after four seasons in Miami. James inked the shorter deal, instead of a richer four-year pact, so he could be a free agent again in 2016 when the NBA’s new $24 billion TV deals kick in and sends the salary cap soaring. The NBA’s top pitchman added Kia Motors to his endorsement portfolio, which already included Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Beats by Dre, Upper Deck, Tencent and Audemars Piguet. Sales of his signature Nike shoes were tops among active players at $340 million in the U.S. during 2014, according to research firm SportsOneSource. His Cavs jersey was also the NBA’s best-seller.
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