A financial deal involving LeBron James and a company connected to former Lakers owner Mark Walter has surfaced, with nearly $300 million reportedly involved.Before LeBron signed with the Lakers in 2018, an LLC controlled by the NBA superstar borrowed almost $300 million from two life insurance companies whose investments were being advised by Guggenheim Partners, according to Bloomberg.Walter, who briefly held majority ownership of the Lakers, is the CEO of Guggenheim Partners. However, there is no indication James financing arrangement is connected to the federal scrutiny currently surrounding Guggenheim and potential related-party transactions.The original deal was completed in 2017, while James was still playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It provided LeBron with immediate cash backed by future revenue from his earnings away from basketball, including income connected to his lifetime Nike partnership.The initial bonds carried a 4.8 percent interest rate and are not due until 2049.Another transaction followed in 2022, when King James Funding received nearly $60 million in 34-year bonds carrying a 5.75 percent interest rate from North American Company for Life and Health Insurance and Midland National Life Insurance, according to Bloomberg.A spokesperson for James stressed that the transactions involved his personal finances rather than his NBA earnings.The 2018 and 2022 transactions were a securitization done by Mr. James with his personal, non-NBA salary, assets and income which is a very common financial structure for an individual with this level of earnings and assets, a James spokesperson said in a statement to the California Post.Both transactions were fully approved by the NBA. Mr. James has no affiliation with Guggenheim, Sammons Financial, North American Life or Midland National beyond their participation in these transactions.The timing is also important. James initial securitization was completed before he joined the Lakers in July 2018 and years before Walter became a minority owner of the franchise in 2021.Walter eventually purchased majority control of the Lakers in 2025 before selling his stake less than a year later to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation.Guggenheim is also listed as an investor in SpringHill Co., the media company founded by James and Maverick Carter.READ MORE: Giannis Antetokounmpo Gets Emotional About Milwaukee
