In basketball, the Cleveland Cavaliers were a perennial laughingstock until they drafted LeBron James out of high school four years ago. Drafting a player out of high school is always a big risk, but the Cavaliers knew that the NBA has long sold its biggest stars as the league's marquee attraction. If you doubt us, then you missed King James co-hosting the ESPY Awards in July. On the court, LeBron led the team to the NBA finals this season, and Cavs tickets are now in big demand.
The positive impact of LeBron on the Cavs' brand has helped the team to crack the top 10 among basketball franchise with a value of $380 million.
