The coronavirus is hitting the treasury hard in most competitions. The NBA is no stranger to this situationAlthough the best basketball league is still pulling financial muscle by paying its stars much better than other American sports.
According to a study in the journal “Forbes,” the NBA paid an average of $ 9.5 million annually in salaries to players in its 30 franchises last season, marked by the coronavirus and the “bubble” of Florida, where they had to shut down to finish the “play-off” that decided the title won by the Los Angeles Lakers.
At least 34 NBA players will earn $ 25 million this season.
The NBA figures have no comparison with other American sports, like baseball, where its players earn half as much as basketball, or American football, with a salary three times lower, according to Forbes.
According to a study by this prestigious publication, the financial muscle of the NBA is undeniable despite the cuts and conditions imposed by the covid-19 pandemic. The differences with other team sports are most evident among those who win the most.
At least 34 NBA players will earn $ 25 million this season. In the case of MLB, the number of players exceeding those numbers is only seven, while in the NFL it rises to twelve.
Lebron James, the highest paid
The absence of audiences on the slopes and the decline in sponsorships they have also affected professional basketball, although forecasts for this season release figures such as the $ 558 million that will enter the top ten highest paid players in the NBA, in salaries (56%) and sponsorships (44%) .
in that “Top ten” highest paid is Lebron James. The Los Angeles Lakers star leads the standings for the seventh straight season and, according to Forbes, will earn $ 96 million this year, although in the case of LeBron his sponsorship revenue ($ 64 million) is greater than his salary. (32) which he receives from the Angeline franchise.
LeBron’s salaries make him the highest paid athlete in American team sports of all time, and the $ 64 million he receives in sponsorships in the highest figure for an NBA player.
LeBron’s impact is reflected in the many brands with which he has signed a contract. The Lakers winger has been linked to Nike since 2003, A company that accounts for half of its sponsorship revenue, already firms like AT&T, Beats, Walmart, Rimowa, General Motors, Blaze Pizza and is in talks with PepsiCo after parting ways with Coca Cola.
After LeBron, the highest paid in the NBA is the Golden State winger Warriors, Stephen Curry, with revenue of $ 74 million, 40 of them to sponsors. Curry has signed an agreement with sportswear and accessories brand Under Armor for which it charges $ 20 million a year.
Kevin Durant, pivot of the Brooklyn Nets, with $ 65 million; Russell Westbrook, Washington Wizzard, (58) and James Harden (Brooklyn) complete the top five highest paid spots, all surpassing $ 50 million.
In a lower step they appear Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks, $ 49 million), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors, 43.3), Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn, 43), Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns, 40) i Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers, 39), those who complete the “top ten” of the highest paid NBA players.
According to Forbes, many of these stars will surely be among the top twenty in the league of the highest paid athletes in the world that each June produces the aforementioned publication.
Here is the list of the top 10 highest paid
| PLAYER | TEAM | SALARY | PATRONI | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lebron James | Lakers | 32,000,000 | 64,000,000 | 96,000,000 |
| Stephen Curry | Warriors | 34,000,000 | 40,000,000 | 74,000,000 |
| Kevin Durant | Nets | 31,000,000 | 34,000,000 | 65,000,000 |
| Russell Westbrook | Wizards | 35,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 58,000,000 |
| James Harden | Nets | 33,000,000 | 17,000,000 | 50,000,000 |
| G. Antetokounmpo | Dollars | 22,000,000 | 27,000,000 | 49,000,000 |
| Klay Thompson | Warriors | 28,500,000 | 15,000,000 | 43,500,000 |
| Kyrie Irving | Nets | 26,000,000 | 17,000,000 | 43,000,000 |
| Chris Paul | Alone | 33,000,000 | 7,000,000 | 40,000,000 |
| Damian Lillard | Trail Blazers | 25,000,000 | 14,000,000 | 39,000,000 |