The NBA's Highest-Paid Players

#1 Kobe Bryant

Earnings: $59.8 million
On-court: $27.8 million
Off-court: $32 million
Bryant’s salary is $7 million higher than any other player’s. Nike sells twice as many Bryant sneakers in China as in the U.S.

#2 LeBron James

Earnings: $57.6 million
On-court: $17.6 million
Off-court: $40 million
The league’s top pitchman (and reigning champ; MVP) counts Nike, Coca-Cola, Samsung and McDonald’s among his global partners.

#3 Derrick Rose

Earnings: $32.4 million
On-court: $16.4 million
Off-court: $16 million
Just kicked off a 13-year, $185 million Adidas deal, as well as a five-year, $95 million contract extension with the Bulls.

#4 Dwyane Wade

Earnings: $30.2 million
On-court: $17.2 million
Off-court: $13 million
Wade’s off-court income got a boost when he left Nike and signed a shoe deal with China’s Li Ning this past fall.

#5 Kevin Durant

Earnings: $29.7 million
On-court: $16.7 million
Off-court: $13 million
The scoring champ is in the second year of his five-year, $85 million Thunder deal. The bulk of his endorsement income is from Nike.

#6 Carmelo Anthony

Earnings: $28.4 million
On-court: $19.4 million
Off-court: $9 million
One of the faces of Nike’s Jordan brand, Anthony broke the U.S. Olympic single-game scoring record last summer with 37 points.

 

#7 Amar'e Stoudemire

Earnings: $27.9 million
On-court: $19.9 million
Off-court: $8 million
The oft-injured big man has two years and $45 million left on his $100 million Knicks deal after this season.

#8 Dwight Howard

Earnings: $26.5 million
On-court: $19.5 million
Off-court: $7 million
His messy exit from Orlando hurt Howard's image; Coca-Cola and McDonald’s did not renew deals with him in recent years.

#9 Chris Paul

Earnings: $24.8 million
On-court: $17.8 million
Off-court: $7 million
Paul’s trade to L.A. has raised his profile: He’s added State Farm to an endorsement portfolio that includes Nike, Powerade and Upper Deck.

#10 Pau Gasol

Earnings: $21.5 million
On-court: $19 million
Off-court: $2.5 million
The 32-year-old Spaniard is the top-paid European player when endorsement income from Nike, Banco Popular and EA Sports is factored in.

Source: Forbes