“I’m not paying” – LeBron James says no to a popular service, even though he’s the NBA’s first active billionaire.
LeBron James is one of the richest sports stars in the world, but there’s one thing he won’t spend money on. Even though he’s a four-time NBA champion and the first active player to become a billionaire thanks to his game earnings, endorsements, and smart investments, LeBron still knows how to save money.
Despite his huge net worth of around $1.4 billion, LeBron is careful about certain things — especially when it comes to paying for data roaming. His former teammate, Dwyane Wade, didn’t hesitate to call him “the cheapest” player he’s ever played with. Before the question was even asked during an interview with Kelly Ripa, Wade jokingly said, “Oh LeBron,” showing just how well he knows him.
Kelly Ripa guessed that LeBron might be a bad tipper, but it turns out the real reason is that “he does not mess with data roaming,” said LeBron’s wife, Gabrielle Union. Another teammate, Kevin Love, also talked about LeBron’s strict no-data-roaming rule on a 2022 podcast. He shared how LeBron waits for Wi-Fi rather than using data when traveling, even during trips from the airport to the hotel or the arena—all to avoid extra charges.
Kevin joked, “A small leak can sink a great ship. I get it, but c’mon, man. It’s just roaming.” LeBron even admitted in an interview with ESPN that he won’t turn on data roaming or buy apps, and still listens to music with ads rather than paying for an ad-free service.
When asked if he knows he’s rich, LeBron laughed and said, “I’m not paying for it!” showing his funny and down-to-earth side.
Now, as LeBron prepares for his 24th NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers, he’s proving again that money isn’t everything. He chose the Sixers over other top teams and is even taking a big pay cut. Last season with the Lakers, he made $52.6 million, but now he’ll earn just $3.9 million a year on a veterans minimum deal. For LeBron, it’s all about the love of the game and going for his fifth NBA championship—not the paycheck.