evidence: After earning his third championship and Finals MVP, LeBron made it clear that he’s still at the top of his game in 2016 and brands agree. He made headlines in the sponsorship world earlier this year when he signed a lifetime deal with Nike, rumored to be worth over $1 billion. With ambitions to become the first billionaire athlete, LeBron’s endorsement earnings dwarf that of his $23.2 million per year salary (this has potential to balloon in conjunction with the NBA salary cap jump). His endorsement portfolio is a who’s who of major brands, including Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Beats by Dre, and more. James has acted as the face of campaigns for many of these brands, but isn’t limiting his time on camera to commercials — He starred in a supporting role alongside Amy Schumer and Bill Haider in the film Trainwreck last summer and is set to star in the highly anticipated Space Jam 2. [...] 17. Serena Williams | WTA [...] Serena is the most dominant tennis player in the world and has owned the women’s game for some time, yet this is the first year she’s topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes. While her endorsement earnings are equal to that of Sharapova, Williams earned almost ten times what Sharapova earned in winnings. Williams’ endorsement portfolio is booming as she continues to dominate the circuit — expect her to capture the title of top female athlete endorser very soon.