The salaries of our favorite sports stars are always prevalent in current sports news. The top and most marketable players can earn inordinate amounts of cash. Basketball has a rich history with lucrative contracts, so let’s review some of the most flush players right now in the NBA.
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, $51,915,615
Are you really surprised? Stephen Curry has been the most well-known player in the NBA and the totality of basketball for a long time now. His over $50m salary backs up his stature as being one of the all-time best shooters and well-rounded players. He’s spent the entirety of his career at the Golden State Warriors since 2009, picking up four NBA championships in his time. Just in case he needs a bit more in the bank, he recently signed an exclusive deal with sports clothing brand Under Armour, which should help him keep his bank balance positive.
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, $47,649,433
Will it eat away at Kevin Durant that his massive contract salary is just shy of $50m? Probably not. He probably has enough. The 13-time NBA All-Star has played with a few different teams, but his most successful was his tenure with the Golden State Warriors, where he played alongside fellow big-earner Stephen Curry. However, there’s no way that GSW could offer Durant and Curry this type of money, so he left that franchise in 2019 to get the bumper contract he deserves. Now a member of the Phoenix Suns, he’s trying to elevate them despite a few initial struggles in the 2023-24 season. Even if he doesn’t, he’s still going to make some good money in the meantime.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers $47,607,350
Ironic headline: ‘Latest NBA News! LeBron James makes lots of money!’ Yeah, everyone knew that already. If it wasn’t for his luxury sneaker range, basketball shoe collection, and involvement with the new Space Jam movie, anyone would think that LeBron would be down to his last few pennies. After all, he’s only the third-highest salary earner in the 2023-24 season. The Lakers are, for many basketball fans, the pinnacle of the sport – even if they haven’t been that successful for many years. As such, the world’s most-known player playing for the most-known team makes a lot of sense and money.
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets, $47,607,350
The Serbian center player started from humble beginnings in Sombor, a small town close to both the Hungarian and Croatian borders. The local population is 17 times smaller than Denver, Colorado, which he now calls home with the Denver Nuggets. At the age of 28, he’s still got a lot of his NBA career ahead of him, meaning he could make a lot more money in the future. If he decides to, at the end of his career, he could move back to Serbia and invest in the local basketball leagues. The team has been part of many of the NBA’s latest update content for its exceptional start to the 2023-24 campaign.
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, $46,900,000
There might not be a funnier guy in the NBA right now than Joel Embiid. The big Cameroonian center loves to troll on social media. In addition to playing the Joker, he’s also very well paid for his exploits on the court. Embiid has often stated the importance of trying to help others, having done notable work and made considerable contributions to fighting homelessness in Philadelphia.
As well as playing basketball, Embiid is a massive soccer fan and can be seen on match days on Twitter, sharing his views about the games as they unfold. In theory, if he keeps making this type of money, he will have enough to buy a personal box at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns, $46,741,590
Bradley Beal spent more than a decade at the Washington Wizards as he was part of the furniture at the franchise. He even started to get the team moving in the right direction, as he was named an NBA All-Star in 2018, 2019, and 2021. However, when championships aren’t coming, money talks. The Phoenix Suns, under new management from Mat and Justin Ishbia, were able to attract multiple top players like Beal on very attractive contracts.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, $45,640,084
The Greek Freak, as he is affectionately known, makes a fair bit of money at the Milwaukee Bucks. He made his NBA debut back in 2013 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old. It took him a few years to get going and command big money from the franchise, but when he started making the All-Star game consistently in 2017, the executives knew they had to secure this man with the big bucks. It proved to be a wise investment as he helped the team win the 2021 NBA Championship, and he even became the Finals MVP in the process.
Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks, $45,640,084
Another Milwaukee Buck?! These guys like to splash the cash! Damian Lillard is a new addition to the franchise, having joined in 2023 after more than ten years at the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s one of the unfortunate players who has been exceptional throughout his career but hasn’t got a championship. Well, his bank balance will help him get over that. As well as his lucrative NBA contract, he’s also got income streams from his music career (as Dame D.O.L.L.A), a basketball shoe collection, and a few royalties from his appearance in the second Space Jam movie.
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