Top 10 Richest Basketball Players In The World

Being a top athlete warrants fame and glory and money, and if the game is basketball, it is a chunk of money. However, to be the richest amongst your peers requires skills that go beyond the court. So check out how these ten players generated their wealth to be at the top of their league. 

10. Grant Hill: $250 million

After playing 18 professional seasons, Grant Hill has amassed a net worth of $250 million as of 2024. Most of Hill’s worth comes from his basketball career, earning him close to $140 million as a salary. Hill, after his NBA career, transitioned to the real estate sector and joined a real estate investment firm, CIM Group. Apart from his real estate business, Hill has also gone on to earn around $120 million from brand endorsements, including a $80 million deal with Fila in 1997. He signed a lifetime deal with Fila in 2018 that pays Hill $10 million annually. Other brands supported by Hill include Nike, McDonald's, TAG Heuer, Sprite, and Nike. Hill also owns a stake in the Atlanta Hawks. 

9. Kevin Durant: $300 million

Kevin Durant, one of the five highest-paid players in NBA history, has a total net worth of around $300 million. With an estimated annual income of $93.3 million, Durant earns approximately $47.8 million from his NBA salary and around $45.5 million from off-court ventures. Over his NBA career, he has earned just under $400 million. 
His endorsements also contribute significantly to his earnings, with Nike being the biggest contributor. Durant became the third player, after Michael Jordan and LeBron James, to secure a lifetime deal with Nike. Additionally, Durant is an active investor with stakes in Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union, NWSL's Gotham FC, and a Major League Pickleball franchise. He also owns Boardroom, a sports, media, and entertainment brand, and has investments in companies like Postmates and Acorns.

8. Hakeem Olajuwon: $300 million

Hakeem Olajuwon hhttps://cdn.vipfortunes.com/news/b496d50a-b1f3-4478-a075-047c7d5a0d73.pngas an estimated net worth of around $300 million as of 2024. Playing for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors, Hakeem’s majority of wealth comes from his NBA career, earning close to $100 million. Hakeem also made smart business moves, including buying real estate for $80 million in 1997 and selling it a decade later for a profit of almost $100 million. Hakeem has also invested in many profitable private equity ventures. 

7. Russell Westbrook: $375 million

Considered to be one of the highest-paid basketball players, Russell Westbrook has an estimated net worth of $375 million as of 2024. Contributing to his wealth, Westbrook has earned around $340 million from his NBA career to date, including $250 million from his first decade alone. He once held a record-breaking contract worth $205 million over five years until 2020. Looking ahead, Westbrook is set to make $3,303,771 in the 2024-25 season.
As for endorsements, Westbrook has reportedly earned around $200 million as of 2023, not to mention his ten-year deal with Nike’s Jordan Brand, which is estimated to be valued over $100 million. As for business ventures, Westbrook has a streetwear brand by the name “Honor the Gift" which further contributes to his net worth.

6. Shaquille O’Neal: $400 million

One of the most popular figures in the sport, Shaquille O'Neal, has a net worth of $400 million as of 2024. With a peak salary of $27 million in 2004, Shaq’s total earnings from the NBA stand at $292 million, which also happens to be his major source of income. After retiring in 2011, Shaq has explored a wide range of opportunities, including acting and rapping. Over the years, Shaq has invested in many business ventures, which include earning close to $8.25 million from Papa John's in three years as a board of directors. Shaq also sold his 1% stake in the NBA's Sacramento Kings for $11 million in 2021, which he had paid $5 million in 2013. His other ventures include brand deals from Pepsi, Carnival Cruise Line, and Reebok. 

5. Vinnie Johnson: $500 million 

Vinnie, who had concluded his NBA career with earnings of around $6 million in 1992, has a net worth of $500 million as of 2024. Despite having quite a modest salary as an NBA player, Johnson went on to form a massive empire after founding an automotive company called the Piston Group. With an annual revenue of around $3 billion, Johnson’s automobile parts company became one of the largest suppliers in the industry. 

4. Junior Bridgeman: $600 million 

Despite having the highest single-season salary of around $350,000 in 1985, Bridgeman's strides in the fast-food industry have helped him achieve a total net worth of around $600 million. Juniors' decision to purchase a Wendy’s franchise to diversify his revenue streams while being an active player became the backbone of his massive wealth. Junior’s Bridgeman Foods, Inc. by 2016 owned around 160 Wendy’s and 120 Chilli’s franchises across America, which generated a revenue of close to $530 million. However, in 2016, Bridgeman sold all of his restaurants and became a bottler for the Coca-Cola Company. 

3. LeBron James: $1.2 billion

The first active NBA player to get billionaire status, LeBron James has a net worth of around $1.2 billion as of 2024. After being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has gone on to play for teams like the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, which have helped make him a revenue of around $480 million, making him the highest earner in the history of the NBA. However, his billionaire status comes from his equity in brands endorsed by him. As per Forbes, James has amassed around $900 million from his ventures with brands like Nike, PepsiCo, and Beats by Dre and is estimated to earn around $80 million per year from endorsements alone. Adding to his wealth is also the $1 billion lifetime contract with Nike. 

2. Magic Johnson: $1.2 billion 

The 64-year-old former basketball player Magic Johnson has a current net worth of $1.2 billion. While he only amassed a revenue close to $40 million at his peak basketball career in the 80s, Johnson’s astonishing wealth comes from his business ventures and partnerships. The majority of Johnson’s wealth comes from his 60% stake in a life insurance company, Equitrust, whose latest valuation stands at around $26 billion. Johnson, through Magic Johnson Enterprises, also owns stakes in different teams, including the NFL’s Commanders, MLS’ LAFC, WNBA’s Sparks, MLB’s Dodgers, and Team Liquid eSports. Some other investments under Magic Johnson Enterprises include a movie theater chain that he sold and 125 Starbucks owned all across the country, which he sold in 2010. 

1. Michael Jordan: $3.2 billion

The only former athlete to make it to the Forbes 400, Michael Jordan is the wealthiest basketball player with a net worth crossing $3.2 billion. What’s interesting about Jordan is that despite being one of the most beloved and richest players in the sport, Jordan only earned around $94 million from his NBA career. Retiring from basketball in 2003, Jordan’s business ventures and brand deals earned him the status of a billionaire, with approximately $2.4 billion from off-court endeavors alone. In 2023, Jordan sold his majority stake in his NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, which was valued at $3 billion. Considering he was the majority owner of the team, he would have made at least $1.5 billion from the deal. 

Apart from this, Jordan also has a lucrative royalty deal of 5% with Nike for the sneaker line “Air Jordan,"  earning him close to $330 million in 2023. Jordan’s other ventures include a NASCAR team, 23Xl Racing, a tequila brand, Cincolo, and gaming companies like DraftKings, Sportradar, and Mythical Games. 

It is interesting to note that not every player on the list had a handsome salary as a player and yet earned the title of a multi-millionaire. Smart investments go a long way.