He is a basketball player, but his investment skills impress Warren Buffett: 'He’s a smart guy off the court'

Warren Buffett has spent more than six decades building one of the world's biggest fortunes by spotting smart investments. So when the legendary investor praises someone's business instincts, it naturally gets attention. This time, the person earning that praise is not a fellow billionaire or CEO but NBA superstar LeBron James, whose success away from basketball has impressed the Berkshire Hathaway chief.

Speaking to TIME, Buffett, who has met James several times over the years, said the Los Angeles Lakers star has made equally smart decisions in business as he has on the basketball court. "The guy is smart. He's a smart guy on the court, he's a smart guy off the court," Buffett said, pointing to James' ability to build a successful business portfolio alongside one of the greatest careers in NBA history.

James' business journey has stood out because he chose a path that was uncommon for athletes when he entered the NBA. Instead of relying only on endorsement deals, he invested in companies, took equity stakes in brands and built businesses around media and sports while still competing at the highest level.

LeBron backed his own vision despite criticism

According to TIME, James trusted his business affairs to his childhood friends by launching LRMR, a company run with Rich Paul, Maverick Carter and Randy Mims. The decision drew criticism at the time, with many questioning why he was not hiring experienced executives.

Looking back, James said he never allowed those opinions to change his plans. "If I would have listened to the narrative of the outside world, I would have been doomed," he said. Explaining why he stayed with his trusted circle, James added, "Because everybody said it was a bad idea. Why am I hiring people with no education? Why am I hiring people that haven't been in the business? Why am I hiring my childhood friends? Everybody, when it comes to things that have never been done before, they want you to go to the sound of the beat that was from yesterday, or the beat that was from 10 years ago. My mom never raised me to be that way."

That decision eventually helped James build ventures such as athlete platform Uninterrupted while also investing in sports, technology and consumer brands. Rather than acting only as a brand ambassador, he increasingly chose ownership and equity, a strategy that has paid off over time.

Why Buffett's praise matters

Known as the "Oracle of Omaha", Buffett is widely regarded as one of the greatest investors in history. As chairman and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway for decades before stepping down as CEO at the end of 2025, he transformed the company into a global conglomerate with investments in businesses including Geico, Duracell and Dairy Queen. According to Forbes, Buffett's real-time net worth is over $145.4 billion, placing him among the richest people in the world.

Beyond investing, Buffett has also pledged to donate more than 99% of his wealth and co-founded the Giving Pledge with Bill Gates in 2010, encouraging billionaires to commit at least half of their fortunes to charity.

Coming from someone with Buffett's reputation, the compliment carries weight because it recognises James' financial decisions rather than his sporting achievements.

A basketball legend who also built a business empire

James' on-court achievements hardly need an introduction. According to the NBA, he is the league's all-time leading scorer, a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP. He has also won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA and holds several NBA playoff records after more than two decades in the league.

Away from basketball, however, James has built another legacy. Forbes estimates his real-time net worth at around $1.4 billion, making him the first active NBA player to become a billionaire. Much of that wealth has come from equity investments, business ventures and long-term partnerships rather than playing salary alone.

James has also expanded his work through entertainment, production companies and the LeBron James Family Foundation, which focuses on education initiatives in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. His success in those areas is exactly what Buffett's comments highlight — that the Lakers star has managed to become as respected for his business decisions as he is for what he has achieved on the basketball court.