Michael Jordan Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

NBA dominates list of 50 highest-paid athletes of all-time

By Sai Mohan | Last updated 3/8/24

A dozen NBA legends have made Sportico's new list of the 50 highest-paid athletes in sports history. Michael Jordan, with estimated inflation-adjusted earnings of $3.75 billion, leads the pack ahead of LeBron James ($1.7 billion) at No. 5, Shaquille O'Neal ($1.21 billion) at No. 13, the late Kobe Bryant ($1.09B) at No. 14, Kevin Durant ($955 million) at No. 17 Stephen Curry ($770 million) at No. 21.

Rounding off the list from the NBA side are Magic Johnson ($645 million) at No. 34, Kevin Garnett ($635 million) at No. 39, Russell Westbrook ($620 million) at No. 42, Chris Paul ($575 million) at No. 44, James Harden ($570 million) at No. 45 and Dwyane Wade ($565 million) at No. 47.

The earning estimates include "salaries, bonuses, prize money, purses, endorsements, licensing, royalties, memorabilia, book deals, media, appearance fees and golf course design fees," per the list, which was put together based on historical estimates, Sportico research and conversations with industry insiders.

The highest-paid athletes of All-Time

The top 50 earners of all time come from nine sports and 17 countries. They’ve made a combined $50 billion when adjusted for inflation.

Full list: https://t.co/XnqWMfnT4a pic.twitter.com/IBDzJKZoYP
— Sportico (@Sportico) March 7, 2024

Among NFL players, Tom Brady ($745 million) and Peyton Manning ($710 million) landed at No. 23 and No. 24, respectively, ahead of Aaron Rodgers ($560 million) and Drew Brees ($560 million), who tied at No. 48.

All in all, the list includes athletes from 17 countries across nine sports. Serena Williams – with career earnings of $630 million – is the only female athlete to make the cut, at No. 40.

The list further solidifies Jordan as the most lucrative brand in sports history. As is well documented, "His Airness" was among the NBA's lowest-paid stars for most of his career and led the league in annual salary with $30 million per season only twice – at the tail end of his run with the Bulls. Most of his empire has been built upon his decades of Nike royalties/earnings and other business ventures.

As an aside, the NBA beating the NFL 12-4 in the list of richest athletes shouldn't come as a surprise.

The NFL is still king in the United States, considering the Super Bowl averages nearly 10 times as many viewers as the NBA Finals. But the NBA's global impact is far superior, with some forecasting basketball to eventually become the second-most popular sport in the world behind soccer.

Interesting mix of sports in @Sportico's 50 highest-paid athletes of all time. : @LevAkabas

Full list: https://t.co/HULpkwhdWH pic.twitter.com/oEuSfQiqUW
— Kurt Badenhausen (@kbadenhausen) March 7, 2024