LeBron James joining the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency will affect a lot more than just the city’s on-court basketball product. James is a mover and shaker in industries far beyond the hardwood, as displayed by his recent and upcoming forays into Hollywood.
James’ influence in areas outside of basketball will only continue to increase as he gets to hobnob in Los Angeles for 12 months a year now, but the other market he already has a major, ahem, foothold in is sneakers, mostly due to a lifetime contract with Nike that pays him upwards of $30 million a year.