Who’s the Highest Paid NBA Player?
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We all know that NBA players are some of the highest paid athletes in the world. But who takes home the title of highest paid player?
LeBron James
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. James has won four NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, four NBA Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals. He has also been selected to the All-NBA First Team twelve times, made the All-Defensive First Team five times, and has been an NBA All-Star eighteen times.
2018-2019 earnings
In the 2018-2019 season, LeBron James was the highest paid NBA player with earnings of $88.7 million. This includes his salaries from the Los Angeles Lakers and any endorsements he had.
The second highest paid NBA player was Stephen Curry, who earned $79.5 million. This total includes his salary from the Golden State Warriors and his endorsements.
The third highest paid NBA player was Kevin Durant, who earned $65.4 million. This includes his salary from the Golden State Warriors and his endorsements.
Endorsements
LeBron James is one of the most popular and well-known basketball players in the world. He is also one of the highest paid, with a salary of $23.3 million and an estimated $52 million in endorsements. James has endorsement deals with some of the biggest companies in the world, including Nike, Coca-Cola, and Beats by Dre. He also has his own production company, SpringHill Entertainment, which produces films and TV shows.
Kevin Durant
As of 2019, the highest paid NBA player is Kevin Durant who is currently signed to the Golden State Warriors. He is set to make $30 million dollars in salary this year. Durant is a 10-time NBA All-Star and has won 2 NBA Championships. He is also a 2-time NBA Finals MVP.
2018-2019 earnings
In 2018-19, Durant will earn a base salary of $30,000,000, while carrying a cap hit of $30,000,000 and a dead cap value of $30,000,000.
Endorsements
In addition to his salary, Kevin Durant makes a very healthy living off of endorsement deals. As of September 2014, he had endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, Beats by Dre, Sprint, BBVA Compass and Skullcandy. According to Forbes, Durant’s 2014 endorsement earnings totaled $36 million. That’s almost as much as he made in salary!
Nike pays Durant an estimated $20 million annually to endorse their products. He has his own signature line of Nike shoes, which are some of the best-selling sneakers in the world. In 2013 alone, Nike sold more than $175 million worth of Durant’s shoes.
Gatorade pays Durant an estimated $10 million to endorse their products. He has appeared in numerous TV commercials for the company over the years.
Beats by Dre pays Durant an estimated $4 million annually to endorse their headphones. He has appeared in numerous TV commercials and print ads for the company.
Sprint pays Durant an estimated $4 million annually to endorse their products. He has appeared in numerous TV commercials for the company over the years.
BBVA Compass pays Durant an estimated $3 million annually to endorse their products. He has appeared in numerous TV commercials and print ads for the company over the years.
Skullcandy pays Durant an estimated $3 million annually to endorse their products. He has appeared in numerous TV commercials and print ads for the company over the years.
Stephen Curry
Curry signed the most valuable contract in NBA history, a five-year, $201 million deal with the Warriors in the summer of 2017. He is the only player in NBA history to be unanimously voted MVP and was the first player to be named unanimous MVP in back-to-back seasons. Curry has led the Warriors to three NBA championships and has been named an All-Star six times.
2018-2019 earnings
In 2018-2019, Stephen Curry was the highest paid NBA player with earnings of $37.5 million. His salary was $34.7 million, and he earned an additional $2.8 million in endorsements. Curry’s total earnings for the year were nearly $19 million more than the second highest paid player, LeBron James.
Endorsements
Curry’s biggest endorsement is with Under Armour, and he signed a “lifetime” deal with the company in September 2017. According to Sports Illustrated, the deal is worth up to $14 million annually, and could eventually be worth as much as $30 million if certain incentives are met. He also has an equity stake in the company.
Russell Westbrook
It’s no surprise that Russell Westbrook is the highest paid NBA player. He’s a superstar and one of the most exciting players in the league. Westbrook is also one of the most marketable players in the NBA. He has endorsements with Nike, Gatorade, and other major brands. His salary and endorsements make him the highest paid NBA player.
2018-2019 earnings
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He is a nine-time NBA All-Star, and he was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2017. He is one of two players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, along with Oscar Robertson in 1962.
In 2018, Westbrook signed a five-year contract extension with the Thunder, which made him the highest paid player in the NBA at the time. Westbrook’s total earnings for the 2018-2019 season are $38.5 million, which includes his salary of $35.6 million and his endorsements.
Endorsements
From 2008 to 2016, Westbrook’s off-court earnings totaled $285 million. He leads all active NBA players in total endorsement deals and is the only player above Kevin Durant with a total of more than $200 million. In 2013, he signed a 10-year extension with Nike believed to be worth $60 million. The deal is the most lucrative shoe contract for an active NBA player. Westbrook also has deals with Mountain Dew, Garnier, 2K Sports and Callaway Golf. His deal with Mountain Dew is worth more than $5 million per year and is the most lucrative endorsement deal for a non-endorsed product in the NBA.
James Harden
James Harden is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named NBA Most Valuable Player in 2018 and is currently the highest-paid player in the NBA, with an annual salary of $38.2 million.
2018-2019 earnings
In 2018-2019, James Harden became the highest paid player in the NBA, signing a contract extension with the Houston Rockets for $228 million over four years. This deal surpassed the previous record for total value held by Kevin Durant, who signed a $221 million contract with the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Harden’s extension is also the richest contract in NBA history when considering average annual salary, as he will earn $30 million per year.
Harden has been one of the league’s most prolific scorers over the past few seasons, winning the NBA scoring title in 2018 and 2019. He was also named MVP in 2018, and has been selected to six All-Star teams.
Endorsements
Harden has endorsement deals with Adidas, Foot Locker, State Farm, Beats by Dre, and BodyArmor. In 2015, he signed a 13-year endorsement deal with Adidas which could be worth up to $200 million. The following year, he signed a multi-year extension with Foot Locker. In 2017, Harden signed the richest endorsement deal in NBA history with Nike’s Jordan Brand. The deal is reportedly worth $200 million over the next decade. He also has an endorsement deal with BodyArmor.
