LeBron James denies owning a private jet! Despite his billionaire status, he still values cost-effectiveness: buying a plane is just too expensive.

On January 26th Beijing time, U.S. media reported on LeBron James and private jets. James has established himself among the richest athletes ever, joining the likes of Jordan, Ronaldo, Messi, and Woods as a billionaire athlete. Yet, he is famous for his pragmatic consumer approach. He spends relatively sparingly and avoids buying luxury goods that aren’t essential, choosing better value substitutes instead. For example, he does not buy a private jet.

In 2022, James reached a legendary milestone by becoming the first active NBA player to surpass $1 billion in net worth. Most of his wealth comes from various investments, lucrative endorsement deals, and profitable business ventures. Although James ranks in the top 1% of athletes in terms of wealth, he completely defies the typical stereotypes associated with billionaires.

In a previous interview, James openly shared his genuine views on the “billionaire stereotype.”

“Would you choose to use private jet services?”

“Absolutely.”

“Do you own your own private jet, or do you use charter services from companies?” Larry King asked.

“I don’t own a private jet. Buying a plane is just, honestly, way too expensive,” James responded.

Many people assume James must own a private jet, but that’s not the case. He does fly privately but opts for charter services rather than purchasing a jet outright — considering the staggering costs of buying and maintaining a private plane, along with the ownership responsibilities and hassles involved. Clearly, James prefers to avoid those costly burdens that don’t make financial sense.

It’s important to clarify that flying on a private jet doesn’t mean owning one. This is one of the most common misconceptions about wealthy individuals. In reality, many billionaires choose to charter jets or sign service agreements with companies, which allows them to enjoy the convenience of private flights while significantly cutting costs.

Despite James having clarified this multiple times, numerous media outlets and social media accounts still list him among NBA players who own private jets.

In 2025, a post on a social media platform claimed James was one of the NBA stars who own private jets. Upon seeing this, he couldn’t help but respond on his social story:

“Take my name off that list! It’s pure fabrication! I don’t own a private jet at all!”

That post also claimed James owned a Gulfstream private jet, which he firmly denied as false information.

From James’s perspective, the label “private jet owner” is just something imposed by outsiders without any solid evidence. His choice to charter rather than purchase a plane is never about showing off but purely practical and economical.

James proves through his actions that he is a rational consumer who obviously wouldn’t damage his reputation just to own an unnecessary private jet. After all, whether buying or chartering, the ultimate goal is the same—to travel safely from point A to point B.