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LeBron James Debunks Popular Theory About Him Spending $1 Million on His Body

Karl Rasmussen

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is guarded by Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is guarded by Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams. / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
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LeBron James made a rare appearance on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, during which he was asked about one of the more popular theories about his body maintenance.

At age 40, James doesn't appear to have lost a step, leaving many to wonder just how much work he puts into maintaining his physical condition––including how much money he spends to stay in peak shape.

It's been rumored that James spends as much as $1 million annually in order to take care of his body, but he made clear during his Wednesday appearance that he has no idea where such a figure came from.

"I don't know where the hell that s--- came from," said James, laughing. "Listen, I do take care of my body. But I have no idea where the amount of money came from, but I do invest in my body for sure. Trying to do a little bit of this, little bit of that. Obviously, a lot of soft tissue work, a lot of massages, a lot of hyperbaric chambers, ice tubs, ice baths. Whatever I can do to continue playing at this level, man, I'm gonna continue to do while I'm playing."

In 2024-25, his 22nd season in the NBA, James is averaging 24.9 points, 8.4 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game. Compared to his career averages, he's scoring slightly less than he has throughout his previous 21 seasons, while rebounding and assisting at a higher rate.

James didn't deny that he puts tremendous effort towards keeping his body in prime condition, but made clear that the notion that he spends upwards of $1 million on that maintenance is inaccurate.

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Karl Rasmussen
KARL RASMUSSEN

Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.

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