CLEVELAND, Ohio – LeBron James never went to college.
Maverick Carter, his friend and day-to-day manager of James' off-court portfolio, is a proud graduate of Western Michigan University.
Together, they've built a business empire that has caught the attention of one of the most prestigious schools in the world.
For seven years, Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse has been fascinated by James' marketing power, beginning with his decision in 2005 to fire his agent, cut ties with a corporate marketing firm, and create his own agency to handle all of those operations in house.
Alberse wrote a case study and a book chapter about James' new model for sports marketing.