The top 30 of the NBA s historical salary kings are exposed! James topped the top with 580 million, but Jordan was not on the list?

As one of the most profitable professional sports leagues in the world, the NBA has seen a surge in player salaries in recent years, and contracts of RMB 100 million have become standard. The latest statistics on the NBA's total salary in history by the US media "hoopshype" has counted the top 30 in the NBA history. James topped the list with $584 million, but the basketball god Jordan missed the list due to the gap in the times! Today we will reveal which stars have really made a fortune?

🏆TOP5 Salary King: Active Players Dominate the List

1. LeBron James (US$584 million)

21 years of career, and is still at the maximum salary level. He renewed his contract with the Lakers for 2 years in 2023, and his annual salary at the age of 40 is still nearly 50 million!

Compare Jordan: If inflation is counted, Jordan's annual salary of 33.14 million in 1998 is ≈ 200 million now, but his total salary is only 90 million, and the gap between the times is obvious.

2. Stephen Curry (US$535 million)

signed the NBA's first 200 million contract (201 million in four years) in 2017, and renewed another 215 million in 2023. It has an annual salary of 55.76 million this season, ranking first in the league!

Regret: I missed a fat contract due to "glass ankles" in my early career, otherwise the total salary might be higher.

3. Paul George (US$518 million)

Although he is not an MVP-level super giant, his offense and defense are always popular. He signed 76ers for 212 million in four years this summer, and his annual salary will exceed 50 million next season!

4. Joel Embiid ($514 million)

has made it to the top five in just 9 years of career! In 2023, the contract will be renewed for 5 years and 301 million yuan (the largest center contract in history), with an annual salary of 60 million yuan.

5. Kevin Durant (US$511 million)

After the Achilles tendon rupture, he can still sign 194 million for 4 years, and renew his contract for 106 million for another 2 years during the solar period, proving his huge "risk resistance"!

🔍Analysis of the highlights of the list

Active dominance: Only Garnett (25) and Kobe (28) are retired players in the top 15, and the rest are all active, confirming the explosive growth of salary in the past 10 years.

Harden No. 14 (360 million): his annual salary at his peak exceeded 40 million, but he has cut his salary to compete for the championship in recent years, otherwise he will be ranked higher.

Antetokounmpo No. 7 (430 million): The first four-year, 334 million contract in history can be signed in 2025, and it will definitely make it to the top three in the future!

Jokic only 12 (350 million): the "baby price" contract for the three-time MVP expires, and the total salary may exceed 600 million after the next one!

💡Why didn’t Jordan make the list?

The salary cap was severe in the 1990s, and Jordan's total salary in his career was only 90 million (equivalent to about 600 million now), but the league's income was far less than that now. If business endorsements are included, the old hooligan is still GOAT!

📊Full TOP30 List

(Slide down to see which one your idol ranks👇)

6-10: Dark eyebrows, Antetokounmpo, Tatum, Lillard, Bill

11-15: Kat, Jokic, Jaylen Brown, Harden, Towns

16-20: Paul, Jamal Murray, Holiday, Booker, Gobe Er

21-25: Butler, Irving, Westbrook, Adebayo, Garnett

26-30: Siakam, Kobe, Clay, DeRozan, Markanen

Conclusion

The soaring salary of NBA is inseparable from broadcast contracts (new contracts in 2025 may reach 75 billion!) and commercial development. In the future, new stars such as Doncic and Vinban Yama are expected to rewrite the records. Who do you think is the most "worthy"? Who has a high salary and low ability? See you in the comment section!