Basketball is one of the most popular sports nowadays, and its players are in the top considering their salaries; we researched a bit about them, and the result is our list for today – the 11 highest-paid NBA players. NBA is the playground of some of the best basketball players in the world, and they are performing quite a show to the viewers. Every game in the NBA is a spectacle of its own, and the top ranking players are highly paid to give their best on the court.
Eugene Onischenko/Shutterstock.com
When it comes to modern sports, basketball does not fall behind considering the money involved. NBA team will pay a lot of money to motivate the players, and ensure themselves triumphs and popularity among the public. Players like Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are one of the first basketball legends to obtain an enormous income through contracts and sponsorship. Today a famous basketball player can have a steady income from his salary, and earn a much bigger amount from endorsement. Companies like Nike, Adidas, and many others, pay significant sums of money to have the best players using their sports products. There are also commercials included and events that the companies organize.
For creating our list, we used the data published by one of the most famous sports channels in the world – ESPN, and other credible sources like CNN and Basketball Reference. To rank the players accurately, we used their income per year and arranged them from the lowest to the highest. Another interesting article that we published before is about 11 highest paid college football coaches. After you read both articles, you’ll stay impressed with the numbers for sure.
Let’s find out who earns the most among the NBA stars on our list – the 11 highest-paid NBA players are:
11. LaMarcus Aldridge – $19,7 million
LaMarcus Aldridge plays in the position of the power forward for San Antonio Spurs. He went at the University of Texas and spent two years playing for their college team. In 2006, he was ranked second overall on the NBA draft. Aldridge played four times in the NBA All-Star team, and he was presented three times as the All-NBA player. During the last season, Aldridge signed a contract worth $19,7 million with the Spurs.
10. Dwyane Wade – $20 million
Dwyane Wade was born in Chicago, and while he was growing up, his all-time favorite basketball player was Michael Jordan. In 2003, he was drafted by the Miami Heat where he still plays today. Wade has won three NBA championships, and a gold medal with the U.S basketball team at the Olympics in Beijing, 2008. Dwyane Wade also played in the NBA All-Star team, and he is one of the most famous players in the world. Miami Heat offered $20 million, and Wade accepted it.
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
9. Derrick Rose – $20,1 million
Derrick Rose is known across the world for his incredible agility and strength on the court. Born in Englewood, he made his first shoots at a very young age. He was named the “Rookie of the Year” in 2009 when he signed his first contract with the Chicago Bulls. His popularity is enormous across the world, and he was voted many times to be in the NBA All-Star team.
Rose is the official endorser for Adidas and many other companies, and his salary for playing in Chicago is $20,1 million.
8. Kevin Durant – $20,2 million
Kevin Durant plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder at the position of the small forward. This exceptional player is the bearer of many titles awarded by the NBA. He won the most prestigious titles; the “NBA Most Valuable Player Award” and the “NBA Rookie of the Year”. Durant is one of the best, and his playing skills prove that. He is an official endorser for Nike Shoes, and Oklahoma City Thunder pays him $20,2 million per year.
7. Chris Paul – $21,5 million
Chris Paul is among the best playmakers in the history of the NBA. He is popular for his unmatched skills and understanding of the game. Chris was born in Lewisville, North Carolina in 1985 and started to play basketball in high school. In the 2005 NBA draft, he was selected in the first round by the New Orleans Hornets and played for them until 2011. Chris Paul earned the title “Rookie of the Year” in 2006 and had been voted seven times to play in the NBA All-Star team. He currently plays in the Los Angeles Clippers for $21,5 million-per-year salary.
Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
6. Chris Bosh – $22,2 million
Chris Bosh is now playing for the Miami Heat, and he is one of the best power forwards in the league’s history. He left college to participate in the 2003 NBA draft to be selected by the Toronto Raptors. In Beijing 2008, he was included in the U.S National basketball team and won the gold medal. His popularity among the public is big, and playing for the NBA All-Star team proves that fact. After troubles with injuries, Bosh is back on the court stronger than ever, and Miami Heat pays him $22,2 million per year making him number 6 on our list of the 11 highest-paid NBA players.
Allen Berezovsky / Shutterstock.com
5. Dwight Howard – $22,4 million
Dwight Howard plays for the Houston Rockets for a salary of $22,4 million. He is among the most famous players in the NBA because of his incredible physique and agility that often don’t go together with the size. Howard is also famous because of his comedy appearance and for his hilarious jokes that he performs with his teammates. In 2008 NBA All-star event, he won the Slam Dunk competition.
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
4. Carmelo Anthony – $22,9 million
Carmelo Anthony was born in Red Hook New York on 29th of May, 1984. After high school, he went to the Syracuse University where he spent one season and decided to try his luck with the pros. Denver Nuggets choose Carmelo as the third pick in a very competitive draft that included Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James. He is the five times NBA All-Star team member, and he also played for the U.S National team at the Olympics in 2004, 2008 and 2012. His contract with the New York Knick is worth $22,9 million.
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
3. LeBron James – $23 million
LeBron James is an NBA superstar, alongside with the other legends of this beautiful game. He was drafted in the NBA in 2003, as the first pick by Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first NBA season with the Cavaliers, he was the first rookie ever to score 40 points in a single game and named the Rookie of the year in 2004. Lebron returned to Cleveland in one of the most anticipated events of the season, and they lost to Golden State Warriors in the last season’s finale. His current contract is worth $23 million placing “King” James at third place of our list.
Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com
2. Joe Johnson – $24,9 million
Joe Johnson started to play basketball in high school, and soon after went to college at the University of Arkansas where he played for two years. Johnson is mainly known for his three-point shots. In 2001 NBA draft he was picked by the Boston Celtics, and since then has also played for Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks. He is currently wearing the Brooklyn Nets jersey with a contract worth $24,9 million per season.
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
1. Kobe Bryant – $25 Million
Kobe Bryant is the youngest player in the NBA history ever to join this elite competition. What can we say more about Kobe that has not been proved by his incredible skills in the court?” Black Mamba” as he is often called, is one the best players who ever played the game, and often compared with Michael Jordan. Many companies like Nike and Gatorade are paying a lot of money to have Kobe as their endorser, because of his enormous popularity across the world. He was titled four times for the NBA All-star match MVP – in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011. The LA Lakers paid Kobe $25 million for this season making him number 1 on our list of the 11 highest-paid NBA players.
