Basketball is full of extraordinary millionaires. As we know, top athletes often receive financial compensation for their skills on the court. So, what’s the next step? To find out who makes the biggest money in basketball? Check out our list of the ten richest basketball players in the world!
Michael Jeffrey Jordan
According to Forbes, Michael Jeffrey Jordan, popularly known as “MJ,” is an American icon, businessman, and former professional basketball player with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. Throughout his NBA career, Michael earned $93.7 million in compensation. He was the first athlete to earn more than $30 million annually.
As a result of his basic salary of $30.14 million during the 1996-1997 season, he achieved this. Considering inflation, the $33.14 million he won the next season is comparable to $53.4 million today.
Magic Johnson
Johnson Jr. is an American businessman, public speaker, HIV campaigner, and former president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) (NBA). After 13 years with the Lakers, he was recognized as one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever. Supposedly, he is worth $600 million.
Johnson sold his Starbucks franchise for $100 million in 2010. In 1994, Magic purchased a 5% stake in The Lakers for $10 million. In 2010, he sold this portion for a record $50–$60 million to billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong.
Junior Bridgeman
The American basketball player Junior Bridgeman, who is now retired, is thought to be worth $600 million. Ulysses Lee Bridgeman was born in East Chicago, Indiana, on September 17, 1953. In 1975, the Los Angeles Lakers picked him, but they traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brian Winters, David Meyers, and Elmore Smith. He played for the Bucks for most of his 12 successful NBA seasons and scored 11,517 points.
Kobe Bean Bryant
Forbes says that Kobe Bean Bryant, an American pro basketball player, has a net worth of about $350 million as of December 2016. The $83.5 million, three-year deal he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in April 2010 made sure he would stay with the team through the 2013-14 season. Bryant was one of the best players in the league and one of the richest basketball players. As of July 2011, he was third on the list of all-time scorers in the playoffs and sixth on the list of all-time scorers in the regular season. Tragically Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash January 26, 2020.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon’s net worth is believed to be $200 million. Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American who played center for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets for over 18 years. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. They won NBA MVP, MVP of the Finals, and Defensive Player of the Year, all in the same year, 1993-1994. Those were the best things he did in his life. Research shows that Olajuwon made more than $100 million from this business.
Kevin Garnett
He is the center and power forward for the Boston Celtics and is thought to be worth $180 million. Kevin Garnett is an American professional basketball player who is well-known around the world. He made 11.57 million dollars per year in 2012. He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2004 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2007-08. The sports world was shocked when Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007.
Grant Hill
Grant Hill used to play basketball in the United States at a high level. He is now retired, and he is thought to be worth about $180 million. Grant Hill’s career as a basketball player began when he joined the Duke Blue Devils. He and Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks were both named NBA Rookie of the Year. Sporting News also named him Rookie of the Year. In 1997, he made the all-NBA First Team, and four times he made the all-NBA Second Team.
Timothy Theodore
The American pro basketball player Tim “Tim” Duncan is thought to be worth $177 million. He is a power forward and center for the National Basketball Association’s San Antonio Spurs (NBA). Tim Duncan has won four NBA championships. He won four championships, was named MVP twice, and was on the first team of the All-NBA nine times. Tim Theodore Duncan was born on April 25, 1976, in St. Croix, Virgin Islands.
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki is worth about $170 million. Nowitzki has played for the Dallas Mavericks as a power forward since 1998. He also sometimes plays small forward and center. In 2007, he was the first player from Europe to win NBA MVP.
Nowitzki’s great play in the 2011 NBA playoffs is finally getting him national attention. He is the first person from Europe to score 20,000 points in the NBA and has led the Mavericks to at least 50 wins for 11 straight seasons.
Chris Webber
Chris Webber is an American who used to play professional basketball and is now retired. He is thought to have a net worth of $143.4 million. Chris Webber first played basketball for the Detroit Country Day School high school team.
Webber played for two years and was on the first team of All-Americans both of those times. He also came close to winning the John R. Wooden Award. In connection with a scandal that happened while he was on the team, he was found guilty of lying and told he couldn’t have anything to do with Michigan until 2013.