OnlyFans star Sophie Rain says she’s eyeing NBA legend LeBron James’ salary as her next benchmark. In a clip that’s now gone viral of the Baginin’ Out podcast, which featured Jacob Sartorius, Aishah Sofey Alina, Ava, and Summer Iris, Rain revealed she pulled in roughly $43 million in 2024, joking she was “taxed out [her] a**.”
The hosts compared her earnings to James’ projected $52.6 million salary with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025 NBA season, according to Spotrac. When Rain learned the figure, she laughed that James had “barely” edged her out, prompting one co-host to tease that she’d need to “work harder.” Ava then encouraged her, saying, “Next year you got him,” to which Rain confidently replied, “Yeah, next year.”
Of course, James’ NBA paycheck is only part of his income—his endorsements, investments, and businesses push his total earnings far higher. Still, Rain’s comparison underscores just how lucrative online content creation has become. “You’re the ones making her rich,” one person on X replied. Others accuse the statements of being influencer propaganda or a downright money laundering scheme. And of course, some are lamenting the state of the world. “It’s a pretty simple scheme where they lie about their income so that you want to watch their content,” someone pointed out. “The “what’s all this hype about?” It’s all a lie.”
While Rain may still trail James when factoring in his off-court empire, her comments highlight a shifting landscape where digital creators can rival, and in some cases surpass, the salaries of the world’s most celebrated athletes. Whether she truly catches up to LeBron or not, Rain’s ambition reflects the growing influence and earning power of the creator economy.