LeBron James could quickly become one of the most popular figures in the world of “YouTube golf” after the NBA star entered the fast-growing social media space over the weekend.
James only started playing golf last year but has already become obsessed with the game—so much so that he’s launched a YouTube channel focused entirely on golf content. His first video, titled “The 2016 Cavs 10-Year Reunion Golf Scramble,” has amassed more than 2 million views since being published Saturday. In the video, James takes part in a 3 vs. 3 match in Scotland with his former NBA Finals-winning Cleveland teammates Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson, and Channing Frye.
His YouTube channel—the handle is simply @LeBron—had already surpassed 530,000 subscribers as of Tuesday afternoon. The account actually joined YouTube in 2010 and had about 121,000 subscribers as of last week but was dormant until Saturday with no recent videos, according to figures from social media data tracker Social Blade.
YouTube golf channels typically feature content creators playing matches in various competitive formats with contestants mic’d up. The heavily produced final product often includes broadcast elements seen in live professional golf, like shot tracers. The most popular channels each have millions of subscribers. Rick Shiels leads the way with 3 million-plus, followed closely by Bryson DeChambeau’s 2.8 million.
James has a strong social media footprint. He boasts 154 million subscribers on Instagram and another 54 million on X/Twitter. He has regularly posted casual videos from the golf course on those apps in recent months, as well as commentary about professional golf tournaments.
It’s clear that a more focused YouTube golf strategy is his next frontier. The description of his 2016 Cavs video says to follow along “as golf takes him to some of the world’s greatest courses. Come for the game, stay for the great local food, wine, and a whole lot of laughs along the way.”
James’s popularity in the golf content space was evident before he launched his channel when he appeared in a video with Bob Does Sports in April titled “Our Epic Collab With LeBron James.” The post is by far the golf group’s most-watched YouTube video this year with 3.7 million views; typical Bob Does Sports videos get between 1.5 million and 2 million views.
James’s newfound golf obsession is sure to draw comparisons with fellow NBA legend Michael Jordan, who has made the game one of the biggest parts of his post-basketball life. Jordan owns The Grove XXIII, an ultra-exclusive golf club in South Florida that opened in 2023. Nike’s Jordan Brand division has a golf apparel line and sponsors pros such as former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, fellow PGA Tour player Tony Finau, and LIV Golf member Harold Varner. So far, Nike’s LeBron James collection does not include any golf clothing or footwear.
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