LeBron James, who has built one of the most decorated careers in basketball history, with four NBA championships and three Olympic gold medals, is turning the spotlight toward another sport he has grown to love — golf.
The NBA superstar has officially launched a YouTube channel that will take fans along as he dives deeper into his growing passion for the game, with the channel reportedly reaching 450,000 subscribers in just one day, per Sportando.
Inside LeBron James’ Growing Golf YouTube Channel
According to an Aug. 17, 2026, blog post from YouTube, the channel gives fans an inclusive inside look into James’ “next great sporting obsession,” following him as he continues to learn the game and embrace life as a golf enthusiast. Along the way, James will visit renowned courses around the world, experience local food and culture, and showcase the friendly competition and camaraderie that have fueled his appreciation for the sport.
“Follow along as LeBron brings his friends and fans along for the journey as golf takes him to some of the world’s greatest courses,” reads a description on the page’s first video. “Come for the game, stay for the great local food, wine, and a whole lot of laughs along the way.”
The channel’s first video takes viewers along for a 96-minute reunion with members of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers during a summer golf trip to Scotland. The getaway marked 10 years since the Cavaliers delivered Cleveland its first NBA championship in a win over the Golden State Warriors.
James was joined by several of his former Cavaliers teammates, including J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, Kevin Love, and Richard Jefferson. Between rounds of golf, the group revisited their championship run with plenty of familiar banter — an experience YouTube described as a “can’t miss.”
“This is only the beginning of LeBron’s global golf tour. Make sure to subscribe to his channel now for monthly episode drops on Saturdays with more legendary courses, special guest appearances, and behind-the-scenes travel,” YouTube shared in the blog.
As of this writing, the channel has grown to 524,000 subscribers.
LeBron James Expands His Footprint In Golf
James’ interest in golf has steadily grown in recent years, extending beyond playing the game to investing in its future.
As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the PGA Tour announced a deal with Strategic Sports Group (SSG) in February 2024 that included an initial $1.5 billion investment from the group in PGA Tour Enterprises, with the potential to reach $3 billion. The agreement also created an equity program that would allow nearly 200 PGA Tour players to become owners in the newly formed commercial entity.
SSG is a consortium of professional sports team owners led by Fenway Sports Group, in which James and longtime business partner Maverick Carter became investors in 2021. James later increased his stake in 2023. Through that connection, he joined other high-profile names, including friend Drake, to bring additional visibility and marketing power to golf.
LeBron James Wants To Open Doors In Golf
According to Basketball Network, James played his first round of golf at around 40, and now, at 41, he is allowing fans to follow his progress as he continues learning the game. At the same time, he hopes to use his platform to help introduce golf to more Black children who may not otherwise have access to the sport.
Despite progress over the years, Black golfers remain significantly underrepresented at the professional level, per Basketball Network. Greater access and exposure at a young age are important to expanding participation in the sport, the outlet notes.
“So one of my main goals in not only playing the game of golf with my friends and we have a great time, we go out there and mess around, but… my goal is to open doors to kids that look like me growing up in inner city to be able to go to country clubs at 7, 8, 9 years old and be able to go out there and caddy or be able to go out and rent clubs, and be able to be coached and play the game of golf. And it’s not because they can’t afford it. It’s because they have a passion for wanting to play that sport,” James said during the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit at Fanatics Fest in July 2026.
James also revealed that his foundation is developing two golf simulators near one of its housing communities in his hometown of Akron, OH, giving local youth another way to access and explore the sport.
“We just want to open doors that weren’t being opened when I was younger,” James added. “Certain golf courses, certain country clubs, and things like that, we didn’t have that avenue. So, I want to be able to let kids from the inner city- it’s not just Black kids, but any kids that don’t feel like they welcome in an environment like that. I want them to feel welcome.”
As the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status, James has developed an extensive business portfolio and has previously credited JAY-Z as one of the influential figures who helped shape his approach to business, AFROTECH™ noted.
Now, his talent, wealth, business acumen, influence, and global platform have positioned him to bring greater visibility and resources to golf — and potentially open the game to a new generation of players in the process.
