LeBron-backed pizza chain becomes fastest-growing restaurant in U.S. history

With an annual salary of over $30 million, LeBron James is one the highest-paid athletes in the entire world, but his earnings as a basketball player could one day be trumped by his investment in the uber-popular food chain, Blaze Pizza.

By opening its 200th franchise on Tuesday, Blaze Pizza became the fastest-growing chain in U.S. history - going from two to 200 restaurants in just four years.

"LeBron helps us punch in terms of our brand awareness well above our weight," Blaze Pizza CEO Jim Mizes told Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes.com.

LeBron has actively promoted Blaze Pizza on social media over the past several years, and went undercover as an employee named "Ron" in a popular video for the company last year.

The four-time MVP invested in the chain back in 2012, and owns roughly 10 percent of the company, according to Badenhausen.