Top 10 Richest NBA Players
Here are some of the biggest names in the sport who have made a lucrative fortune from their careers to become the richest NBA players.
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Richest NBA players of all-time
The NBA is widely considered one of the biggest sports leagues in the entire world in terms of brand value, quality and revenues. It is house to some of the most talented players, and over the years, has produced some of the richest athletes in all of sports.
While NBA players today are given out lucrative contracts that keep breaking record after record, there have been many sports personalities who have sourced their fortune not just from these contracts, but also their business acumen.
Today we take a look at such names who have signed record breaking deals and have also made significant fortune from endorsements and investments. From LeBron James to Stephen Curry, from Magic Johnson to Michael Jordan, here are the 10 richest NBA players of all time.
10. Chris Paul
Chris Paul ranks 10th on the list of the richest NBA players, with a total net worth of $460 million. A large portion of this—$390.1 million (84.82%)—comes from his NBA contracts. Needless to say, this amount will keep increasing as he is still an active player in the league, currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs.
CP3’s key endorsement deals include the Jordan Brand, The Walt Disney Company, Spalding, State Farm, Beyond Meat, GoPuff, Tissot, and Panini. In addition to endorsements, Paul has invested in several companies, including Hyperice, Chirpify, RSPCT Basketball, Wicked Kitchen, Meati Foods, and Beyond Meat.
9. James Harden
James Harden ranks 9th on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $480 million. Most of his wealth—$340.7 million (70.98%)—comes from his NBA contracts. Now playing for the LA Clippers, the veteran is one of the cornerstones of their current roster.
His major endorsements include Adidas, Therabody, Pura, BodyArmor, Vanguart, Gopuff, Panini, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Harden has also expanded his portfolio with key investments. He holds a minority ownership stake in the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash soccer clubs and has invested in BodyArmor, Art of Sport, Stance socks, The Beard Club, and Mitchell & Ness.
8. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is 8th on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $520 million. Of this, $343.7 million (66.09%) comes from his NBA contracts. His top endorsements include Jordan Brand, True Religion Apparel, Samsung Electronics, Six Star Pro Nutrition, and PepsiCo.
Westbrook has made a name for himself as an investor with a wide range of ventures. He has stakes in companies like Magic Spoon, Pizzana, Poppi, Triller, and Hyperice. Additionally, he owns five auto dealerships in Southern California and has real estate investments. His business ventures also include Honor the Gift, a clothing line, and partnerships with Flow, Tiger Global, Genies, and Varo Bank.
7. Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is 7th on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $660 million. His NBA contracts account for $357.8 million (54.21%) of his total earnings. Curry is a prominent face for brands like Under Armour, Chase, Infiniti, Rakuten, Palm, FTX, Brita, and Degree.
Curry has also made significant investments through his company, SC30. These include stakes in tech startups like SnapTravel, Literati, Squire, and Tonal. He co-founded Unanimous Media, which has produced projects like Underrated for Apple TV+ and Jumpshot. Curry owns Gentleman’s Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and is a partner in Oxigen and TSM.
6. Kobe Bryant
Late NBA icon Kobe Bryant ranks 6th on the list of the richest NBA players of all time, with total earnings of $755 million. His NBA contracts contributed $328.2 million (43.47%) of this amount. Kobe’s endorsement portfolio included globally recognized brands like Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola (Sprite), Hublot, Panini, and Turkish Airlines.
Bryant was also a visionary investor. He co-founded Bryant Stibel, a venture capital firm, and made a significant early investment in BodyArmor sports drink, which later paid off substantially. Additionally, he launched Granity Studios, Kobe Inc., and invested in The Players’ Tribune and Art of Sport.
5. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant takes the 5th spot on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $790 million. Over half of this—$405.9 million (51.38%)—comes from his NBA contracts. His endorsement deals include major brands like Nike, BBVA, American Family Insurance, Alaska Airlines, and 2K Sports.
Durant is also a prominent investor through his company, Thirty Five Ventures. His portfolio includes stakes in companies such as Postmates, Coinbase, Robinhood, Acorns, and Overtime. KD has invested in Weedmaps, Rubrik, JetSmarter, Hugging Face, Whoop, and Skydio, among others.
4. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal ranks 4th on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $805 million. His NBA contracts contributed $292.2 million (36.29%) of his total earnings.
Big Shaq’s major endorsement deals included Pepsi, Papa John’s, Taco Bell, Reebok, Burger King, Oreo, Toys ‘R’ Us, Carnival Cruise Line, and Vitaminwater.
Beyond endorsements, O’Neal has made business investments in a wide range of companies. He has stakes in Papa John’s, Auntie Anne’s, Five Guys, 24-Hour Fitness, Krispy Kreme, Lyft, and Google. O’Neal has also invested in Ring, Vitaminwater, real estate, and car wash franchises. Additionally, he has been involved with SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies), such as Forest Road Acquisition Corp I and II.
3. LeBron James
Lakers superstar LeBron James holds the 3rd spot on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $1.2 billion. He is the only active player in the NBA who has entered the billionaire club whilst still playing.
His NBA contracts make up $482.6 million (40.21%) of his total earnings. LeBron’s endorsement deals include big names like Nike, PepsiCo (Mountain Dew), Beats by Dre, Samsung, Walmart, AT&T, GMC, Rimowa, Taco Bell, and Sprite.
James has also built a successful business portfolio. His investments include Blaze Pizza, Fenway Sports Group, SpringHill Entertainment, Uninterrupted, and Ladder.
2. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is ranked 2nd on the list of the richest NBA players, with total earnings of $1.2 billion. His NBA contracts contributed $38 million (3.16%) to his total earnings. Johnson has endorsement deals with major brands like Starbucks, 24 Hour Fitness, AMC Theatres, TGI Fridays, and Converse.
Magic Johnson’s business ventures have been highly successful. He owns EquiTrust Life Insurance Company and has small ownership stakes in several sports teams, including the NFL’s Washington Commanders, MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and MLS’s LAFC. He also invested in Starbucks and movie theaters across the States.
1. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is the richest NBA player in the world, with total earnings of $3.2 billion. His NBA career contributed $93.9 million (2.93%) to this wealth. Jordan’s major endorsement deals include Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, Upper Deck, and 2K Sports, with his Nike partnership being especially lucrative through the Jordan Brand.
Jordan’s investments have significantly expanded his wealth. He still owns minority shares in the Charlotte Hornets after selling his majority stake for a reported sum of about $3 billion in 2023.
MJ has stakes in Nike, Jordan Brand, and Cincoro Tequila. Additionally, he is involved with 23XI Racing, DraftKings, Michael Jordan Steakhouse, Sportradar, Muzik, Gigster, and various real estate properties. Jordan’s business ventures have been really important in casting him as a global icon both on and off the court.
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Yakshpat Bhargava
(3989 Articles Published)