Top 10 Largest NBA (National Basketball Association) Athlete Contracts of All Time
In professional sports, talent evaluation is challenging. After all, when it comes to great athletes, even a slight decline in ability due to aging or an injury might cause a regular NBA contributor to becoming a benchwarmer. After all, basketball players are people. Many unforeseeable events can occur during a year, let alone the four to five years that most contract agreements last.
NBA players’ contracts are getting bigger and richer every year because of new media deals and a new team salary ceiling. Fans frequently want to know which athletes in their favorite NBA team earn the highest incomes because wages are always rising. They select their favorite player based on that and then get custom basketball jersey made for themselves. However, NBA has expanded into a global industry, and league revenues are at an all-time high. To illustrate this point better, we have picked the largest NBA deal busts in history.
1. Lebron James
LeBron James, the King, continues to preside predictably. The NBA’s second billionaire player is this player, who made an astounding $70 million from off-court activities, including $32 million annually from his contract with Nike. He is the best NBA player of all time, without any doubt!
His $41.2 million deal and that statistic were enough to put him at the top of Forbes’ ranking of the highest-paid NBA players of all time.
The SpringHill Company, his entertainment, and media company, concluded the sale of a minority share for $725 million, which is particularly noteworthy. In addition, James dedicated his name to Epic Games’ Fortnite in July. Last week, he joined Tonal, a gym company, as an investor and brand ambassador.
2. Kevin Durant
Although Kevin Durant’s deal is nearly as large as he is, the former MVP had a strong month of December. Massive internet company Uber acquired meal delivery firm Postmates for $2.65 billion in 2016. Durant had invested in the company in 2016.
According to professional sources, Durant’s buyout increased his upfront outlay from $1 million to $15 million.
3. Steph Curry
The finest shooter in the NBA, Steph Curry, is ranked second on this year’s list of highest-paid athletes. This two-time MVP winner for the Golden State Warriors made $92.8 million in total over that time, including a staggering $47 million in off-court compensation.
The biggest change for Curry has been the debut of his new, Under Armour-supported Curry brand. This new business, which sells various shoes, outfits, and accessories for various sports, is estimated to be worth $20 million annually. Still, if the brand succeeds, that number will increase.
Unanimous Media, another company owned by Curry, produced the reality competition Holey Moley. Additionally, last month, he made public a new sponsorship deal with the bitcoin business FTX.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
The current champion Giannis Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly one of the highest-paid NBA players for the 2021–2022 season. With a five-year deal extension for a record $228 million, the Greek Freak signed the richest NBA contract in December with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Antetokounmpo is one of the youngest players on this list at only 26 years old. His stock will likely rise over the next several years, especially if Disney has anything to do with it.
A biography of the entertainment mogul, which would follow his journey from Greece to NBA team success, is said to have the rights to be made. According to resources, the movie will be released in 2022.
5. Russel Westbrook
A professional NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, Russell Westbrook III was born in the US on November 12, 1988. (NBA). He is a nine-time NBA All-Star, a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and the 2016–17 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Westbrook earned a remarkable $74.2 million the year before, most of that coming from ten Southern California auto dealerships and his partnership with Nike.
6. James Harden
He was recognized as the Pac-10 Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American while playing collegiate basketball for the State of Arizona Sun Devils in 2009. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Harden with the third overall choice in the 2009 NBA Draft. He helped the Thunder club win NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2012 and helped them get to the NBA Finals, where the Miami Heat defeated them in five games.
One of the priciest NBA contracts in history was signed by James Harden. Harden’s enormous $44.3 million salary has kept the Brooklyn Net in peak condition.
Nevertheless, he disclosed in December that he had joined the Pura fragrance company as a creative director and an investor. Stance, Art of Sport, and BodyArmor are additional sponsors of Harden. Their custom basketball jersey is the most loved by fans.
7. Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard, the outstanding guard for the Portland Trailblazers and a frequent All-NBA pick, has gone up three spots on the list of the highest-paid NBA players this year.
His $39 million comes largely from sponsorship agreements and a significant partnership with Gatorade’s Bolt24 line of goods. Even more astounding, Lillard began a yearly internship program for six underprivileged high school kids from Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago last year. With an overall $56.3 million worth, he is the 7th on the list.
8. Klay Thompson
Despite having one of the worst injury seasons in sports history, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors is still very wealthy. So along with Alex Morgan, Paul Rodriguez, and Travis Pastrana, the All-Star introduced Just Live’s CBD brand this year.
The injured star also has endorsement deals with Kaiser Permanente, Mercedes-Benz, Tissot, and a Chinese shoe manufacturer called Anta. So he is worth of whopping contract of about $54 million.
9. Paul George
Paul Clifton Anthony George, a professional basketball player from the United States, plays for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association. He goes by the alias “PG-13” and has been selected to the NBA All-Star team seven times. Additionally, he has earned spots on the NBA All-Defensive Team four times and the All-NBA Team six times.
Without Kawhi Leonard for the foreseeable future, Paul George will earn his money for the Clippers this season. So the 31-year-old should be very motivated as he starts a contract for a four-year, $190 million. His partners are Tonal, an at-home gym company, Nike, AT&T, Gatorade, and, most recently, Tonal.
10. Jimmy Buttler
With a solid deal and substantial off-court adjustments, Jimmy Buckets completes the top 10 NBA players in earnings for the 2012–22 season.
The Miami Heat player is the biggest partner in an endorsement portfolio that includes Jaybird headphones and Tag Heuer watches. The athlete struck a contract with Chinese shoe company Li-Ning last year. Butler’s Bigface coffee company has taken a serious turn since he announced this month that he had joined Shopify’s creator plan.
Bottom Line
The NBA is one of the most watched sports in the US and worldwide. All basketball fans watch the NBA, whether it is through highlights or live broadcasts. The also get custom basketball jersey made replicating the one of their favorite player. Therefore, among other athletes, NBA stars earn the most money.
We should expect this basketball league’s readiness to pay great NBA player salaries, bonuses, and endorsements to continue to increase now that the 2021–22 season has started in a more traditional format. After reading this article, you can better comprehend who the highest-paid NBA player is.
