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LeBron James is set to become the highest-paid NBA player in history this season, but that’s a low estimate.
James topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid NBA players for the ninth year in a row on Thursday, nearly $30 million more than anyone else.
The 10 highest-paid players in the league are expected to raise around $750 million before taxes and agent fees are deducted. The figure breaks last year’s record total of $714 million and is up more than 120% over the past decade.
James will earn about $44 million from the Los Angeles Lakers this season and sign a two-year, $85.6 million deal. He signed a two-year, $97 million contract extension that will keep him with the Lakers through the 2024-25 season.
Forbes estimates that James will make about $80 million off the court this year, bringing the total to $124.5 million. That’s a low estimate because some of his investments don’t show up in the numbers, according to the organization. For example, his company, SpringHill Entertainment, was valued at $725 million last year. He has several other big investments, including a major league pickleball team, sports nutrition company Ladder, and Canyon Bicycles.James is also the minority owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC.
James became the first active athlete to become a billionaire earlier this summer and the second NBA player in history, after Michael Jordan. He also publicly pushed earlier this month to own a potential NBA expansion team in Las Vegas when the time comes. This is becoming more and more possible.
James is one of 10 active athletes with more than $100 million in annual pre-tax earnings and one of only five who have achieved this in a team sport. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and football star Lionel his Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar complete that list.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is second on the list with $95.1 million. He splits $48.1 million on the court and $47 million off the court almost evenly. He signed a four-year, $215 million contract with the Warriors this offseason and will pay $59.6 million in the final year of the 2025-26 season.
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is third on the list with $88 million. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo with $86.5 million puts him in fourth place, while Lakers veteran Russell Westbrook with $82.1 million puts him in fifth place.
Klay Thompson, Damien Lillard, James Harden, Paul George and Jimmy Butler rounded out the top 10 in that order.
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