LeBron James is on course to become the highest-paid NBA player in history this season, and that’s with a low estimate.
James topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid NBA players for the ninth straight year on Thursday, and he’s nearly $30 million ahead of everyone else.
The league’s 10 highest-paid players are expected to collect about $750 million before taxes and agent fees. This figure broke last year’s record total of $714 million and has increased more than 120% over the past decade.
James will earn an estimated $44 million from the Los Angeles Lakers this season to complete his two-year, $85.6 million contract. He signed a two-year, $97 million extension that will keep him with the Lakers through the 2024-25 season.
Forbes estimated that James would earn around $80 million off the court this year, bringing him to $124.5 million in total. According to the organization, this is a low estimate, as some of its investments will not show up in their figures. For example, his company SpringHill Entertainment was valued at $725 million last year. He has several other major investments, including with a Major League Pickleball team, sports nutrition company Ladder, Canyon Bicycles and more. James is also a 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 to reach that mark, joining Michael Jordan. He also made a public effort earlier this month to own a potential NBA expansion team in Las Vegas when the time comes, which is becoming increasingly possible.
James is one of 10 active athletes to exceed $100 million in pre-tax earnings in a single year, and one of five to do so in a team sport. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and soccer stars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar complete this list.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is second on the list with $95.1 million. It was split about evenly with $48.1 million from on-court revenue and $47 million from elsewhere. He signed a four-year, $215 million deal with the Warriors last offseason, which will net him $59.6 million in the final year of that deal in the 2025-26 season.
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is third on the list with $88 million. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is fourth with $86.5 million and Lakers veteran Russell Westbrook is fifth with $82.1 million.
Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, James Harden, Paul George and Jimmy Butler close out the top 10, in that order.