Who Is The Most Paid Player In The Nba

Alright, grab your coffee and pull up a chair, because we need to talk about the most important question in basketball—no, not who won the championship. We’re talking about the bank accounts. Who is the most paid player in the NBA right now? Spoiler: it’s not a guy who just shoots free throws; it’s a guy who shoots commercials and cryptocurrency too.

As of the 2024-2025 season, the crown for highest-paid NBA player belongs to Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. I know, I know—some of you just pictured him skipping like a joyful golden retriever after a three-pointer. But his paycheck is no joke: he’s pulling in roughly $51.9 million in salary alone this year. That’s more than the GDP of a small island nation, and he earns it by throwing a ball through a hoop while wearing sneakers that cost more than your rent.

Now, before you get too jealous, let’s talk about total earnings. Because in the NBA, salary is just the appetizer. The main course? Endorsements. Curry also rakes in about $45 million from deals with Under Armour, Chase, and a dozen other brands that want him to smile at a camera. Add it up, and he’s making around $97 million this year. That’s enough to buy a private jet, a yacht, and still have cash left over for a lifetime supply of avocado toast.

But here’s the twist: Curry isn’t even the richest player on the court if you look at career earnings. That title goes to LeBron James, who has earned over $1.2 billion in his lifetime between salary and endorsements. LeBron has been cashing checks since before some of you were born, and he’s still signing new ones for movies, tequila, and his own production company. He’s basically a walking, dunking Fortune 500 company.

Let’s not forget the new kids on the block. Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French alien, signed a rookie contract worth about $55 million over four years. That’s insane for a teenager who probably has to duck through doorways. But he’s not the highest-paid yet—give him a few years and a few shoe deals, and he’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. Or the Eiffel Tower.

Highest Paid Salaries of NBA Players in Season 2023-24 | Comparison

Speaking of surprises, did you know that Damian Lillard is making $63 million this season? That’s the largest single-season salary in NBA history. Yes, the guy who wears a wristband that says “Dame Time” is literally making a million dollars every game he plays. That’s about $20,000 per minute he steps on the court. I’d have trouble not smiling during free throws, too.

But here’s the really funny part: being the highest-paid doesn’t always mean you’re the best player. Sometimes, it means you’re just really good at negotiating. Take Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. He signed a five-year, $304 million supermax extension—the richest contract in NBA history at the time. Is he as good as Curry? No. But does his agent deserve a statue? Absolutely.

Now, let’s talk about the bubble tea effect. That’s my term for how player salaries have exploded like a shaken can of soda. In 1995, Michael Jordan made $3.9 million. Adjusted for inflation, that’s about $8 million today. Meanwhile, Curry makes six times that just for dribbling. Is it fair? Probably not. But then again, nobody asked the owner of the Warriors to stop printing money.

The Highest Paid NBA Players in 2025 💰 | Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry

If you want to feel really poor, consider this: Ben Simmons, who has played about 57 games in three seasons due to injuries and… let’s call it “mental unavailability”… is still owed $40 million this year. He makes more per game than most of us will see in a lifetime. The only thing he’s “assisting” is his bank manager. I’d make that joke to his face, but he might not hear me over the sound of his mattress stuffed with cash.

And then there’s the ancient ones. LeBron at age 39 is still pulling in $47.6 million in salary. He’s older than some of his teammates’ dads, and he’s still the face of the NBA. His secret? He spends a million a year on his body—cryotherapy, hyperbaric chambers, personal chefs. Meanwhile, I spend a million a year on coffee and regret. We are not the same.

The 10 Highest-Paid NBA Players Right Now

Let’s not ignore the international flavor. Giannis Antetokounmpo (the Greek Freak) signed a supermax extension worth $228 million. He’s shown up with a bag of cash to buy a parking ticket. Actually, he’s famously frugal—he once bought his family a house and still drives a used car. So while Curry is living large, Giannis is out there calculating whether to tip 15% or 18%.

The bottom line? The highest-paid player in the NBA is Stephen Curry by total earnings, but the salary king changes every season. Next year, it could be Luka Dončić or Anthony Davis—if they can stay healthy and stop eating too many tacos. The real winner here? The NBA players’ union, which helped negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that makes players richer than most tech CEOs. Oh, and the league itself, which prints money like it’s going out of style.

So next time you yell at your TV because Curry missed a three, remember: he’s making $8,000 per second during a game. He can afford to miss. You, on the other hand, just spilled your coffee. But hey, at least you didn’t have to pay for his agent’s yacht. Yet.