LeBron James remains top on NBA rich list: Forbes

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LeBron James remains the top-earning player in the NBA while an increasing number of stars have boosted their income through off-field activities, according to the latest Forbes survey released Tuesday.

Forbes said that Los Angeles Lakers star James has been the highest-paid player in basketball for the last five consecutive years, pocketing an estimated 88.7 million U.S. dollars in 2018-2019.

Around 35.7 million U.S. dollars of James's earnings came from salary and bonuses, while the remaining 53 million U.S. dollars was generated through endorsements.

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors. /VCG Photo

Golden State Warriors ace Stephen Curry ranks second on the earnings list with 79.5 million U.S. dollars, while his teammate Kevin Durant is third with 65 million U.S. dollars.

Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook is fourth on the list with 53.7 million U.S. dollars. Most of Westbrook's earnings came from his lucrative contract with the Thunder, reportedly worth 207 million U.S. dollars over five years.

Meanwhile, reigning NBA MVP James Harden rounded out the top five on the list with 47.4 million U.S. dollars.

The Forbes survey also noted that that the top 10 earners in the NBA will make around 540 million U.S. dollars this year, up more than 180 million U.S. dollars from the previous five years.

The report pointed to several stars who have looked to diversify their brands into different areas, with James, Curry and Durant all setting up their own companies to manage business opportunities in media and marketing.

Source(s): AFP