Top 5 Highest-Paid NBA Stars

The craze for basketball is always at its peak in America. No wonder the league sponsors splurge hefty amounts on the sport, and clubs come up with big budgets. At least 30 teams participate in the National Basketball Association (NBA) games which many youths anticipate.

Every year, the NBA holds its grand league between October and April, which is when the players get to amass huge earnings. Naturally, some of them secure a rank among the world's highest-paid athletes. The NBA recently announced the salary cap and luxury tax for 2022- 2023. The figures, informed by the association, kept everyone astonished as they were way more than expected. So, have you ever been curious about how much they receive as payment? Plus, who among the notable players is the most expensive one?

Let us look at this amazing list of the top 5 highest-paid basketball stars in the NBA. Also, don't forget to check if your favorite player is on the list.

1. Stephen Curry ($48,070,014)

Stephen Curry holds the first position as the highest-paid NBA player by invariably staying two steps ahead of Lebron James. The legendary player has been leading and hiking up his bank balance since 2018. Stephen has earned a promising position in the NBA after a dominant victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.

According to Forbes' recently released annual list of the top 50 most-paid athletes, Stephen proudly seized the No. 5 position. We bet this number is going to rise in the next few years.

2. Russell Westbrook ($47,063,478)

Russell Westbrook boasts a wonderful playing history and a stellar list of achievements in his NBA journey. This talented star is best remembered for his triple-double record in NBA. Yet, in the last few seasons, Russell's fans were a little disappointed due to his series of losses and poor performance on the basketball court. 

Notwithstanding, it seems Russell is finally back in full force with greater spirit. The star now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers for a robust salary package.

3. Lebron James ($44,474,988)

There's perhaps no one who isn't familiar with LeBron James. He's a reputed and prominent name in the basketball world. His breathtaking performances helped him earn the admiration of fans regardless of their age and the team they support. Yet, LeBron isn't in the best form now and has also slid down from his rank too in the highest-paid list compared to a few years back.

The basketball star has extended his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for two seasons, raking good figures in bank accounts, and his fans are looking forward to his terrific performances once again. 

4. Bradley Beal ($43,279,250)

The well-known perfect finisher and all-rounder Bradley Beal has grabbed the 4th position in this list. Bradley Beal has been playing for Washington Wizards and giving good competition to the others with his amazing skills on the court. 

Most basketball fans believe that Bradley isn't too much into the team but rather prefers to take the lead alone. Nevertheless, he has contributed greatly to the team’s success and has extended his contract to continue with them, not forgetting that he has given more years of his career to this team.

5. Kevin Durant ($42,969,845)

Kevin Durant has become one of the favorite players among new and young basketball fans. So, he has gladly bagged the 5th position in the list of highest-paid players. 

Kevin's fame skyrocketed solely due to his exceptional playing style and outstanding performance. Although he initially played for the Golden State Warriors, he is now a part of the Brooklyn Nets. We hope this prolific star gives his best to win the championship trophy for his team this season.

Basketball players may not have good social media following compared to soccer and cricket players, but most of the time, they top the leading-earners list. These hefty amounts don't even include the perks that these stars get for their fantastic performances. The basketball maestros we mentioned here have increased their fanbase sizably with time, and this also affects their salary and endorsement deals.