LeBron James Age: How Old Is the NBA Legend in 2026?

lebron james age

If you are searching for lebron james age, here is the answer: LeBron James is 41 years old in November 2026. He was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, USA, and he will turn 42 on December 30, 2026. He is playing his 23rd NBA season — a length of career almost unheard of in professional basketball.

LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a four-time NBA champion, a four-time league MVP, and the first active NBA player to become a billionaire. This guide covers his exact age, birthday, height, net worth, career timeline, and the records he has set at each stage of his life.

LeBron James Quick Facts

DetailFact
Full nameLeBron Raymone James Sr.
Date of birthDecember 30, 1984
Age in November 202641 years old
BirthplaceAkron, Ohio, USA
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball player
TeamLos Angeles Lakers
Height206 cm (6 feet 9 inches)
Zodiac signCapricorn
Net worth (est.)$1,400 million
Annual income (est.)$137.8 million
NBA championships4
NBA MVP awards4

How Old Is LeBron James Exactly?

LeBron James’s age is simple to work out from his date of birth:

  • Born: December 30, 1984
  • Age in November 2026: 41 years and 10 months
  • 42nd birthday: December 30, 2026
  • 43rd birthday: December 30, 2027
  • 45th birthday: December 30, 2029

Because his birthday falls right at the end of December, he spends almost the whole calendar year at the same age. So throughout the 2026-27 NBA season’s opening months, he is 41, and he turns 42 only as the year ends. If you want to check another star’s age the same way, try the celebrity age calculator on CelebWorth.

LeBron James’s Birthday and Zodiac Sign

LeBron James was born on December 30, which makes him a Capricorn (December 22 to January 19). Capricorns are often described as disciplined, ambitious, and patient — qualities that fit a player famous for his year-round training regime and his two-decade commitment to staying at the top of his sport.

His birthday falls during the NBA’s busy Christmas period, and his birthday games are often nationally televised events. To see which stars share your own birthday, try the birthday twin finder.

Early Life: The Kid from Akron

LeBron Raymone James was born in Akron, Ohio, and raised by his mother, Gloria James, who was 16 when he was born. His childhood was difficult at times — the family moved frequently and money was tight — but basketball gave him focus, and his talent was obvious from an early age.

Key facts about his early years:

  • He began playing organized basketball at around age 9.
  • At St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, he became a national sensation while still a teenager.
  • He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school junior, under the headline “The Chosen One.”
  • He was named “Mr. Basketball” in Ohio three times.
  • He skipped college entirely and entered the NBA Draft straight from high school in 2003.

His high school games were televised nationally, something almost unheard of for a school player, and the hype around him was enormous. Remarkably, he lived up to it.

Career Timeline: What He Achieved at Each Age

AgeYearMilestone
182003Drafted No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers
192004Won NBA Rookie of the Year
212006First NBA All-Star selection
232008Won his first NBA scoring title; Olympic gold medal with Team USA
242009Won his first NBA MVP award
252010Joined the Miami Heat
272012Won his first NBA championship and a second Olympic gold medal
282013Won a second straight championship with Miami
292014Returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers
312016Led Cleveland to its first NBA championship, ending the city’s 52-year title drought
332018Joined the Los Angeles Lakers
352020Won his fourth NBA championship with the Lakers
372022Became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status
382023Passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer
392024Won Olympic gold again with Team USA in Paris
402025Played his 22nd NBA season
412026Playing his 23rd NBA season, still producing at a high level

Cleveland, Miami, and the Return

LeBron’s career falls into three great acts. First, Cleveland (2003-2010), where he carried a struggling franchise to the 2007 NBA Finals almost single-handedly. Then Miami (2010-2014), where he won his first two championships alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Then his return to Cleveland (2014-2018), capped by the 2016 championship — a comeback from 3-1 down against the Golden State Warriors that is widely considered one of the greatest achievements in NBA history.

The Lakers Years

Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, he has added a fourth championship (2020) and, in February 2023, aged 38, passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing scoring record to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He has also played alongside his son, Bronny James, who joined the Lakers in 2024 — the first time a father and son have played together in the NBA.

LeBron James’s Height

LeBron James is 206 cm tall (6 feet 9 inches) and weighs around 113 kg (250 lbs). That combination of size, speed, and strength is one of the main reasons he has dominated for so long: he is big enough to play power forward, quick enough to play point guard, and strong enough to finish through contact at the rim.

For comparison:

  • He is taller than most NBA guards and about average for a forward.
  • He is 10 cm taller than Michael Jordan, who stood 198 cm.
  • His size has barely changed since he entered the league as a teenager, but his playing style has adapted as he has aged.

You can compare his height with other celebrities using the celebrity height comparison tool.

LeBron James’s Net Worth

LeBron James’s net worth is estimated at $1,400 million (est.) — that is, $1.4 billion. Forbes’ 2026 billionaires list confirms a figure in that region, and other analysts place him between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion depending on how his private assets are valued. He became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status in June 2022.

His wealth comes from several sources:

  • NBA salary — more than $580 million in career on-court earnings, including a $52.6 million Lakers salary in the 2025-26 season.
  • Nike lifetime deal — a deal reportedly worth more than $1 billion over its lifetime, paying around $32 million per year plus an equity component.
  • SpringHill Company — the media company he co-founded, valued at around $725 million in 2021.
  • Fenway Sports Group stake — a minority stake in the group that owns Liverpool FC, the Boston Red Sox, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
  • Other investments — including an early stake in Blaze Pizza and various property holdings.

His estimated annual income is around $137.8 million (est.), combining his playing salary with endorsements and business income.

To see how his fortune compares with other stars, visit the net worth hub or try a head-to-head in the net worth battle tool. More background on his life and career is available on Wikipedia.

LeBron James’s Personal Life

LeBron’s personal life is notably stable by superstar standards:

  • He married his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, in 2013, and they have three children: Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri.
  • He founded the I PROMISE School in Akron in 2018, a public school for at-risk children, funded through his family foundation.
  • He is a well-known philanthropist, with his foundation supporting education projects in his hometown.
  • He is active in film and television production through SpringHill, including the film Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021).

His family story — including his son Bronny joining him in the NBA — has become one of the most talked-about threads of his later career.

Why Fans Search for LeBron James’s Age

There are a few reasons this question never goes away:

  1. His longevity is historic. No player of his age has ever performed at such a high level in the NBA, so fans constantly check how old he is.
  2. Records keep falling. Each new milestone — scoring records, seasons played, games won — prompts a fresh round of searches.
  3. The father-son story. Playing alongside his son Bronny makes the age gap itself part of the story.
  4. Retirement speculation. Every season brings questions about how much longer he can play, and his age is central to that debate.

You can explore more celebrity birthdays on the birthday hub, or return to the CelebWorth homepage to browse all of our tools.

LeBron James Age: Year-by-Year Summary

YearAge on January 1Age after December 30 birthday
20233839
20243940
20254041
20264142
20274243
20284344
20294445

If he plays into 2027, he will be one of the oldest players ever to appear in an NBA game.

How the $1,400 Million Fortune Is Built

LeBron James’s net worth is estimated at $1,400 million (est.), which is $1.4 billion, and the scale of that figure is easier to understand when it is broken into its parts. The foundation is his NBA salary. Across his career he has earned more than $580 million in on-court earnings, including a $52.6 million Lakers salary in the 2025-26 season alone. That salary total by itself places him among the highest-paid players in basketball history, but it is only one part of the fortune, and by itself it would not explain a billionaire total. The rest comes from business and endorsements built over two decades at the top of the sport.

The largest single off-court pillar is his Nike lifetime deal, a deal reportedly worth more than $1 billion over its lifetime, paying around $32 million per year plus an equity component. A lifetime deal is unusual in sport: most endorsement contracts run for a few years and are renegotiated, but a lifetime arrangement ties the athlete to the brand permanently and gives both sides a long horizon. For James, it means a steady, large annual payment that does not depend on a single season’s form, and an equity stake that grows with the brand itself. It is the kind of deal that only a player of his standing and longevity can command.

The second pillar is SpringHill Company, the media company he co-founded, which was valued at around $725 million in 2021. SpringHill is the vehicle for his film and television production work, including the film Space Jam: A New Legacy from 2021, and it turns his fame into an operating business rather than a series of one-off appearance fees. A production company has a value of its own, based on its projects and its library, which is why a valuation figure like $725 million can sit alongside salary and endorsement income in an estimate of his total wealth. His other holdings include a minority stake in Fenway Sports Group, the group that owns Liverpool FC, the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Penguins, plus an early stake in Blaze Pizza and various property holdings.

His estimated annual income is around $137.8 million (est.), combining his playing salary with endorsements and business income. That annual figure and the $1,400 million net worth figure measure different things, and keeping them apart matters. Annual income describes money coming in during a year, while net worth describes what has been accumulated after costs, taxes and spending. Forbes’ 2026 billionaires list confirms a figure in the region of $1,400 million, while other analysts place him between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion depending on how his private assets are valued. He became the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status in June 2022, at the age of 37, a milestone no basketball player had reached while still playing.

The Three Acts of a 23-Season Career

James’s career falls into three great acts, and each one added a different layer to his legacy. The first act was Cleveland from 2003 to 2010, where he carried a struggling franchise to the 2007 NBA Finals almost single-handedly, after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 at 18 and winning Rookie of the Year in 2004 at 19. His first All-Star selection followed in 2006 at 21, his first scoring title and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA came in 2008 at 23, and his first MVP award arrived in 2009 at 24. Those early years established him as the league’s dominant young player, but a championship still eluded him.

The second act was Miami from 2010 to 2014, where he joined the Heat at 25 and won his first two championships, in 2012 at 27 and 2013 at 28, alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, adding a second Olympic gold medal in 2012. The third act began with his return to Cleveland in 2014 at 29, capped by the 2016 championship at 31, a comeback from 3-1 down against the Golden State Warriors that ended the city’s 52-year title drought and is widely considered one of the greatest achievements in NBA history. Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 at 33, he has added a fourth championship in 2020 at 35, and at 38 in February 2023 he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing scoring record to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a record he has extended every season since.

Career actYears and agesDefining achievements
Cleveland, first spell2003 to 2010, ages 18 to 25Drafted No. 1 overall, Rookie of the Year, first All-Star selection, first scoring title, first MVP award, 2007 NBA Finals
Miami2010 to 2014, ages 25 to 29First two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013, second Olympic gold medal in 2012
Cleveland, return2014 to 2018, ages 29 to 332016 championship ending a 52-year title drought, comeback from 3-1 down
Los Angeles Lakers2018 onwards, ages 33 to 41Fourth championship in 2020, all-time scoring record in 2023, billionaire status in 2022, Olympic gold again in 2024

The later years of that career contain achievements that have nothing to do with scoring or championships. In 2024, at 39, he won Olympic gold again with Team USA in Paris, and his son Bronny James joined the Lakers in 2024, the first time a father and son have played together in the NBA. At 40 in 2025 he played his 22nd NBA season, and at 41 in 2026 he is playing his 23rd season, still producing at a high level. That longevity is the context for everything else in this article: no player of his age has ever performed at such a high level in the NBA, and the records keep falling precisely because he is still playing long after almost every other player has retired.

Reading the Longevity: Size, Adaptation and Age

James is 206 cm tall (6 feet 9 inches) and weighs around 113 kg (250 lbs), and that combination of size, speed and strength is one of the main reasons he has dominated for so long. He is big enough to play power forward, quick enough to play point guard, and strong enough to finish through contact at the rim. For comparison, he is taller than most NBA guards and about average for a forward, and he is 10 cm taller than Michael Jordan, who stood 198 cm. His size has barely changed since he entered the league as a teenager, but his playing style has adapted as he has aged, which is the real story of his longevity: the body stayed largely the same, while the game around it changed.

  • Physical foundation: At 206 cm and around 113 kg, he combines forward size with guard speed, a combination that has let him play several positions across his career.
  • Early discipline: His year-round training regime and two-decade commitment to staying at the top of his sport are part of why his age keeps drawing attention, and his December 30 birthday makes him a Capricorn, a sign often described as disciplined, ambitious and patient.
  • Adaptation: His playing style has adapted as he has aged, even though his size has barely changed since he entered the league as a teenager.
  • Timing of birthdays: Because his birthday falls right at the end of December, he spends almost the whole calendar year at the same age, so throughout the 2026-27 NBA season’s opening months he is 41, turning 42 only as the year ends.
  • Family context: Playing alongside his son Bronny makes the age gap itself part of the story, and retirement speculation follows every season, with his age central to that debate.

That longevity also has a personal side that is unusually stable by superstar standards. He married his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, in 2013, and they have three children: Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri. He founded the I PROMISE School in Akron in 2018, a public school for at-risk children funded through his family foundation, and his foundation supports education projects in his hometown. His early life explains why that school matters to him: he was born in Akron, Ohio, raised by his mother, Gloria James, who was 16 when he was born, and his childhood involved frequent moves and tight money, with basketball giving him focus. He began playing organized basketball at around age 9, became a national sensation at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in Akron, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school junior under the headline “The Chosen One”, was named “Mr. Basketball” in Ohio three times, and skipped college entirely to enter the NBA Draft straight from high school in 2003.

Glossary: Terms Behind the Headlines

A few terms recur throughout James’s story, and each one helps explain why his age and his wealth draw so much attention.

  • All-time leading scorer: The player with the most points in NBA history. James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in February 2023 at 38 and has extended the record every season since.
  • NBA championship: The league title, won by the playoff winner each season. James has four, with Miami in 2012 and 2013, Cleveland in 2016 and the Lakers in 2020.
  • NBA MVP award: The league’s Most Valuable Player award for a season. James has won it four times.
  • Scoring title: The honour for leading the league in scoring in a season. James won his first in 2008 at 23.
  • Rookie of the Year: The award for the league’s best first-year player. James won it in 2004 at 19.
  • All-Star selection: Selection for the league’s annual showcase game. James earned his first in 2006 at 21.
  • Lifetime deal: An endorsement contract with no fixed end date. His Nike lifetime deal is reportedly worth more than $1 billion over its lifetime, paying around $32 million per year plus an equity component.
  • Equity component: An ownership stake included in a deal, rather than cash alone. The equity part of the Nike deal means his income grows with the brand, not just with a fixed fee.
  • Minority stake: A small ownership share in a company or group. His minority stake in Fenway Sports Group gives him an interest in Liverpool FC, the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Penguins without controlling them.
  • Estimated annual income: Money coming in during a year, as opposed to net worth, which is accumulated wealth. His estimated annual income is around $137.8 million (est.), while his net worth is estimated at $1,400 million (est.).

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is LeBron James in November 2026?

LeBron James is 41 years old in November 2026. He was born on December 30, 1984, and will turn 42 on December 30, 2026.

When is LeBron James’s birthday?

His birthday is December 30. He was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, USA.

How tall is LeBron James?

He is 206 cm tall (6 feet 9 inches) and weighs around 113 kg (250 lbs).

What is LeBron James’s net worth?

His net worth is estimated at $1,400 million (est.), or $1.4 billion, according to Forbes’ 2026 billionaires list. Other analysts place the figure between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion.

How many NBA championships has LeBron James won?

He has won four NBA championships: two with the Miami Heat (2012, 2013), one with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016), and one with the Los Angeles Lakers (2020).

Is LeBron James the NBA’s all-time leading scorer?

Yes. He passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in February 2023 to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and he has extended the record every season since.

Conclusion

LeBron James is 41 years old in November 2026, having been born on December 30, 1984, and he will turn 42 at the end of the year. Standing 206 cm tall, with four championships, four MVP awards, the all-time scoring record, and an estimated net worth of $1,400 million (est.), he has already secured his place among the greatest athletes in history. That he is still playing at a high level in his 23rd season, at an age when almost every other player has long retired, is perhaps the most remarkable achievement of all.