James has made US$432 million during his 20-year NBA career. He also signed a two-year, US$97 million extension with the Lakers that will give him US$141 million over the next three years. The extension will make James the highest-earning player of all time, with US$532 million.

Thanks in large part to his lifetime deal with Nike, James is now a billionaire, according to Forbes. The media company estimates that he has earned “upwards of US$900 million in income from endorsements and other business ventures”.

… But he is also open about how cheap he can be at times

Warren Buffett was kinder, saying of James, “He’s savvy. He’s smart about financial matters.” The famed investor added, “It’s amazing to me the maturity he exhibits.”

Here are 3 times that “King James” showed his true thrifty colours.

1. He won’t use his phone if it is not on Wi-fi

“No, I’m not doing that,” James once said. “I’m not turning on data roaming, I’m not buying no apps, I still got Pandora with commercials.” When the music streaming service heard that, it offered James a free premium account.

2. He was once spotted riding a bicycle to a game in Miami

3. LeBron also said he would not pay for a blue checkmark on Twitter

Despite his money savvy, James does have expensive tastes in some areas and also gives a lot of money to charitable endeavours.