Get the first layout! Contract reservation, ESPN grabs James crazy, and recruits top commentator

LeBron James' NBA career has entered the countdown, but his business value is still expanding!

According to the latest disclosure by ESPN veteran producer Tim Corley, ESPN has planned to provide James with a generous media contract after he retires, hoping that he can transform into a top basketball commentator like legendary stars such as O'Neal and Barkley.

Cory did not hide his appreciation for James: "His basketball thinking can benefit everyone." This evaluation is by no means groundless.

As an evergreen who has been fighting in the NBA for 21 years, James not only holds 4 championships and 4 FMVPs, but also is known for his "on-field coach" - his ability to accurately predict opponents' tactics and direct teammates' running positions in real time in the game, which is a living tactical textbook. What ESPN values ​​is this unique value that transforms the wisdom of the arena into commentary content.

From a business perspective, James is a walking gold mine. According to statistics, his total number of social media fans exceeds 1 billion, and his personal brand commercial value exceeds 1 billion US dollars. If it can be included in the commentary seat, ESPN can not only harvest massive traffic, but also develop diversified content such as derivative programs and documentaries to build an exclusive basketball IP empire.

Ever since Adrian Wojnarowski left, ESPN has been looking for new ace characters. They have signed Shams Charania before, and if James can join, he will become ESPN's "ultimate traffic ace".

At present, there are many successful cases of the NBA's retired stars transforming into media:

O'Neal, Barkley: With his humorous and sharp style, he has become the rating guarantee of TNT's "Inside the NBA".

Garnett: Created a solo program "Area 21" on TNT to analyze the competition in depth.

Redick: Transforming from an ESPN commentator to a Lakers coach proves that media experience can help coaching career.

Not long ago, the leader of the gang came out again. He signed with NBC Sports Channel with an annual salary of US$40 million and became the platform's special contributor to the NBA event next season.

This contract not only set the annual salary record of $37.5 million in sports commentator maintained by Tom Brady, but also surpassed the highest single-season earnings of $33.14 million in Jordan's player-age period.

If James really joined the commentary world, what would his salary be?

With James' influence, ESPN is likely to offer five-year contracts of $150 million to $200 million, and may even include equity incentives, making it one of the highest-paid commentators in sports media history.