Photo by DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images

40 NBA stars made top 100 highest paid athletes list: LeBron, Curry, and Durant make top 10

Originally posted on HITC | By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jan 16, 2026 7:26 AM ET

40 NBA stars made Sportico’s 2025 highest-paid athletes list, with LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant all ranking inside the global top ten.

The NBA continues to dominate the global sports economy, with a record 40 players earning places on Sportico’s list of the 100 highest-paid athletes for 2025.

The rankings show how the league’s top names combine on-court contracts and off-court partnerships to generate some of the highest incomes in world sport.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Full list of NBA players in 2025 top 100 highest-paid athletes

Sportico’s data shows that the NBA’s biggest stars earned more than $2.6 billion combined in 2025. LeBron James leads the way, while Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all feature among the world’s top 15 highest-paid athletes.

The 40 NBA players listed by Sportico in 2025 are:

NBA dominates global earnings landscape

LeBron James ranks fifth overall on the global list, with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant also making the top ten.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Jayson Tatum are among those leading a new generation of global earners, while rising stars such as Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton continue to break into elite financial territory.

The dominance of NBA players highlights the league’s ability to merge athletic performance and global marketing appeal.

Combined, basketball’s top 40 earners generated over $2.6 billion in 2025, reinforcing the NBA’s position as one of the most powerful brands in sport.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: