Every year, salaries in the strongest basketball league on the planet increase. This season, the NBA will earn over $ 5 billion, half of which will be paid directly to basketball players. But huge contracts with sponsors can still double the player’s income. Today, we describe the richest basketball players in the world.
Kevin Garnett – Career earnings: $ 334.3 million.
Kevin Garnett was the first player to go straight from high school to the NBA in his 20s when he jumped from Chicago’s Farragut Academy to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 NBA draft. Just over two decades later, he cashed the final check of his career, making him the highest-paid NBA player of all time. Garnett won only one NBA title during his career in 2008 with the Boston Celtics when he earned $ 22 million.
Kobe Bryant – Career earnings: $ 323.3 million.
Kobe Bryant won five NBA titles in his 20 seasons and became one of the greatest players ever. Bryant more than doubled the money he made on the field, on contracts and clever business decisions — Forbes estimated his net worth at $ 770 million. Bryant may end up with $ 1 billion in net worth as he expands his business empire. After Bryant created Kobe Inc. in 2014, his first investment was a 10 percent stake in Body Armor Sports Drink worth $ 6 million. In August 2018, after the purchase of body armor by Coca-Cola, Bryant’s stake was $ 200 million.
LeBron James – Career earnings: $ 306.9 million.
LeBron James is on track to become the NBA’s first billionaire, with about half of that projected to come from contracts. He will earn over $ 30 million annually for six consecutive seasons when his contract with the Lakers expires after 2021-22. Speaking of $ 1 billion, LeBron has an indefinite contract with Nike, the shoe giant, that will pay him $ 1 billion by the time he’s 60.
Shaquille O’Neal – Career earnings: $ 280.3 million.
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA. O’Neal’s six-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and $ 100 million in 1996 was unique and allowed him to win three NBA titles. The Lakers paid O’Neal a career-high $ 27.6 million for the 2004-05 season. Over the next five seasons, he received $ 20 million a year with the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Until his retirement in 2011, O’Neill reportedly earned between $ 25 million and $ 30 million a year.
Chris Paul – Career earnings: $ 260.9 million.
Chris Paul is the highest-ranked player on this list without an NBA title, and he didn’t even make it to the NBA Finals. Paul was kicked out of Houston because he couldn’t co-exist with star quarterback James Harden. He moved to Oklahoma, which paid him $ 38.5 million in 2019-20. This is our rating of the highest-paid basketball players. For more details, visit the best odds online sports betting website.