Most of us enjoy watching a basketball game once in a while. However, the question of who earns most and how they make it remains a mystery. We are always guessing. Perhaps this is your passion, and you are wondering how much your role models earn. Well, you have come to the right place.
Top players earn decent pay, thanks to the short-term deals and the supermax contracts they often get. When we talk about some of the highest-paid athletes, NBA players proves to be some of the wealthiest. However, the big question remains, who are these players? How have they managed to earn this much?
If you are a young athlete passionate about being an NBA player, then you should research more about the endorsements and sponsorships as these pay handsomely. Without wasting much of your time, let’s find out some of the highest-paid NBA players.
Lebron James
Yes, this comes as no surprise, but we had to feature his name on the list. The young man who started his career at an early age of 13 is worth $92.4 million. He is the only player who got paid more money from endorsement deals more than his NBA max contract.
He endorsed Beats by Dre, Walmart, and others. However, his most significant endorsement was from Nike. It is believed that this talented chap signed a lifetime deal worth 1 billion dollars with Nike. He made more than $37 million just in salary from the NBA and another $55 million through his endorsements.
Stephen Curry
Stephen has become a force to reckon with in the NBA fraternity over the last couple of years. Between 2019 and 2020, he made up to $40 million in just salary and another $45 million in endorsements. As the lead athlete for Under Armor, he is worth $85.2 million and has managed to sign lots of deals, including the Callaway golf deal.
Kevin Durant
Kevin is a former Golden State Warriors star and, even after tearing his achilles in the last season, that didn’t deter him from landing a deal that paid him up to $164 million for four years. He is a Nike athlete, and he also invested in several startups, including the Acorns and Postmates investing app, which has contributed to how much he makes now.
Durant earned up to $38.2 million between 2019 to 2020 and up to $35 million in endorsements.
Rusell Westbrook
Rusell is perhaps the only player with the biggest and largest deal in the NBA for $207 million over five years. He signed a contract with the Jordan Brand, and he is one of the few players who own their signature shoes. He is also one of Jordan’s top players, and he is worth $56.5 million. Between 2019 and 2020, Rusell made up to $38 million in salary and up to $18 million in endorsements.
James Harden
James is one of the few players who recently purchased the Houston Dynamo stake, which makes him among the few players to be part owner of a sports franchise while still in their playing career. He also has dealt with Trolli gummy worms, BodyArmor, and other companies. Between 2019 to 2020, the man made up to $30.2 million in salary and up to $17 million in endorsements.
The Bottom Line
Here are some of the highest-paid NBA players today. This is just the tip of the iceberg as others are also making it big in the NBA world. Hopefully, you find this inspiring if this is the career you would like to pursue in the future.
