LeBron James isn’t just one of the greatest basketball players of all time – he also has one of the best celebrity watch collections in the game.
From comparatively understated pieces like his Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 ‘Stella Dial’ to ‘grail watches’ like his Richard Mille RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph, the 36-year-old Los Angeles Lakers lynchpin – and now, in 2021, Hollywood actor – has a veritable treasure trove of timepieces.
His latest piece of wrist candy might just be his most outrageous yet. On the red carpet for the world premiere of Space Jam: A New Legacy, ‘King James’ contrasted a monochromatic Thom Browne suiting look with a rather wild Rolex Datejust Pearlmaster 39 (ref. 86348SABLV) worth around AU$100,000.
Rolex’s Pearlmaster collection, despite the name, is more about diamonds than pearls. Pearlmasters are effectively just Oyster Perpetual Datejusts that have been blinged out from the factory… But even among Pearlmasters, James’ stands out as particularly flashy.
RELATED: Justin Bieber’s Latest ‘Outrageous’ Rolex Flex Imparts Timeless Truth About Watch Investing
Constructed from 18ct yellow gold and featuring white diamond indices as well as an eye-catching rainbow diamond bezel, it’s a particularly appropriate watch for the premiere of such a neon-soaked, 90s-inspired cartoon flick.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is the much-anticipated sequel to the cult 1996 live-action/animated sports comedy film that saw Michael Jordan appear on-screen alongside Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Jordan was the biggest player of his day, so it only makes sense to have the sequel star the biggest player of today: LeBron James.
In a very 2021 move, the release has been accompanied by a collection of Space Jam NFTs – or, as The Verge puts it, “a crucial piece of your 2021 marketing machine.” For a crash course on what an NFT is, check out our handy guide here.