Top 10 most valuable athletes ranked

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Virat Kohli Forbes Valuable
Messi, Ronaldo, Kohli - who is the most valuable of them all?

#2 LeBron James: $33.4 million (1.8% decrease over last year)

Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics - Game Five
LeBron James, the King. Nuff said.

When you walk out of high-school, and into your city's NBA franchise - with a four-storey tall poster of yourself on the building opposite said franchise's home stadium and a $100 million contract with Nike in your pocket - you know you're quite a big deal.

In the 14 years since his debut, Lebron James has gone on to become one of basketball's all-time greats, winning 3 NBA rings, 3 Finals MVP and 4 regular-season MVP awards, and 13 All-Star appearances along the way.

While he has major deals with Audemars Piguet, Coca-Cola, Dunkin' Brands, McDonald's, Samsung and State Farm (what an eclectic collection of brands, eh?), Nike remains his flagship brand and the sports-apparel and footwear giant has James as its face in the US.

A clever businessman who has always made the most of his endorsement deals, James looks to be a fixture on this list for a long time to come.

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