Topline
The Western Conference semifinal matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers beginning Tuesday night features two of the NBA’s most decorated—and financially successful—active players in Steph Curry and LeBron James, earning more money over the last year than any other U.S. team sport athletes.
Buckets and Benjamins: LeBron James, left, and Steph Curry, right, are two of the NBA’s most … [+]
Key Facts
James and Curry’s $119.5 million and $100.4 million in respective total earnings this season make them the two highest-paid players in the NBA, according to Forbes’ list of the world’s 10 highest-paid athletes published Tuesday.
James’ $75 million in endorsements and other off-court earnings are the highest in the sport, while Curry’s $48.4 million on-court payday is the largest in the league.
Each vying for their fifth NBA championship, Curry and James are the fourth- and eighth-highest-paid athletes on the planet, and the two top-paid American team sports athletes.
Soccer superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Killian Mbappé all slotted above both Curry and James on the list of highest-paid athletes, while Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez and American golfers Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson topped Curry thanks to the latter pair’s massive guaranteed paydays from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour.
Key Background
Both Curry and James rake in much of their incomes from lucrative shoe deals with Under Armour and Nike, respectively, each worth tens of millions of dollars. Last June, James became the first active athlete to be deemed a billionaire by Forbes’ calculations.
What To Watch For
FanDuel Sportsbook’s betting odds give the Warriors about a 60% chance to advance past the Lakers. The 38-year-old James has the most points and first-team All-NBA selections in NBA history, while Curry is the league’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals.
Surprising Fact
The Warriors and Lakers are the first and third-most valuable teams in the NBA at respective $7 billion and $5.9 billion valuations, per Forbes’ calculations.
Further Reading
The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2023 (Forbes)
NBA Team Values 2022: For The First Time In Two Decades, The Top Spot Goes To A Franchise That’s Not The Knicks Or Lakers (Forbes)
LeBron James Is Officially A Billionaire (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/05/02/nba-playoff-rivals-lebron-james-and-steph-curry-raked-in-combined-220-million-this-season/