Basketball is one of the world’s most popular sports, so players can rake in tons of money from their lucrative contracts and endorsements. While the NBA didn’t always hand out as much cash as it does now, some of these old-timers stepped up and made the most of their opportunities when they retired.
1. Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade is a professional basketball player who is regarded as one of the greatest players in the world. He is a three-time NBA champion and a member of the Miami Heats. He is also known as the “Flash” due to his quickness and agility on the court.
During his career, he made an estimated $196 million from salary, endorsement deals, and investments. He also owns several properties around the United States.
He has been a renowned sportsman for many years and is known for his hard work, intelligence, and shooting skills on the basketball court. He is known to be a great leader and teammate. He has been a member of the Miami Heats for a long time.
Wade’s salary grew significantly as he got older and started getting more endorsements. During his time in the NBA, he earned millions of dollars from various companies like Converse, Nike, and Jordan. He currently has a deal with the Chinese company Li-Ning that pays him $12 million annually.
2. Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose is the youngest recipient of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and he has had a great career so far. Although he has suffered from a series of knee injuries, he still remains one of the most successful players in the game.
He has also been able to earn a lot of money from his endorsement deals with various sports brands. Brands such as Adidas, Wilson Sporting Goods, Skullcandy headphones, Powerade, and Fore Factor sports drinks have all signed on with Rose.
As the star point guard for the New York Knicks, Rose has a net worth of $90 million. He is expected to make a significant amount of money from his salary, but he has made even more from his endorsement deals and his luxury lifestyle.
He began his basketball career with the Chicago Bulls in 2008, where he won the Rookie of the Year award in 2011. He also set a then-team record for scoring a playoff debut with 36 points against the Boston Celtics. After spending eight years with the Bulls, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. He then spent a few years in New York and finally joined the Detroit Pistons in 2019.
3. Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard is an American professional basketball player, who has a net worth of $140 million. He has played for various teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The 8th-born child of a father who was an athletic director at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy and a mother who was a basketball player, Dwight Howard is a devout Christian and has a passion for the game right from his childhood. He started playing the game in high school and was recognized as one of the best players in his class.
After finishing high school, he decided to skip college and entered the 2004 NBA Draft, where he was selected first overall by the Orlando Magic. He quickly climbed the NBA ranks and became a six-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team member, five-time All-Defensive Team member and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
He has a total of $234,492,486 in career earnings, including his current annual salary of $5,337,000 with the Washington Wizards. He is the eighth highest-paid player in the NBA this season.
He has a huge fan following and is constantly on social media, which means he earns money through endorsements and other activities. He has also competed in reality competition shows like The Masked Singer and Special Forces, which has given him additional fame and money.
4. Grant Hill
As a two-time NCAA champion at Duke, Olympic gold medalist and seven-time NBA All-Star, Grant Hill has earned a spot among the top basketball players of all time. Having played 18 seasons, he finished his NBA career with averages of 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He was selected to 7 All-Star Games and was a member of the NBA Sportsmanship Award team three times.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Hill was a prodigy who excelled at high school and college ball. At Duke, he helped the Blue Devils win two national championships and reached the Final Four three times.
After graduation, Hill joined the Detroit Pistons and quickly became a superstar with an innate ability to lead the team on the court. His do-it-all abilities led him to become the first rookie in league history to score 1000 points and earn triple-doubles in a single season.
His likability, leadership skills and brand image also enabled him to secure endorsement deals with various companies like Fila and Sprite. His charisma and exemplary performance on the court helped him win numerous awards including NBA Rookie of the Year, All-NBA honors following five seasons, and selection to seven All-Star games.
5. Tim Duncan
The NBA is one of the world’s most popular sports leagues, with players making millions of dollars each year. Some of the top earners are even billionaires.
Tim Duncan is a former American professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs. Throughout his career, Duncan earned numerous accolades and became one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.
He is also considered to be the richest NBA player of all time. He earned a net worth of around $246 million, which is an incredible amount for any player.
In fact, he was able to make so much money because of his great performances on the court. He is a great role model for aspiring basketball players and his success is an inspiration to many.
His success in the game is also attributed to his versatility. He is a power forward by trade, but he is capable of playing center as well.
Despite his age, he is still a great player and his career continues to go strong. He has appeared in 15 All-Star games and has won three NBA Finals MVP awards.
In addition to his basketball career, Tim Duncan is also known for his charitable efforts. He founded the Tim Duncan Foundation to promote health awareness and education. He also helps youth athletes through his charity.
6. Michael Jordan
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the biggest sports leagues in the world and boasts some of the highest-profile athletes. These stars have built their wealth through endorsements and successful business ventures outside the game of basketball.
Michael Jordan is one of the richest NBA players of all time. His net worth is estimated to be around $1.5 billion dollars.
During his career, he has won multiple awards and titles and is known for his incredible leaping ability. He is also a great player on defense and has many slam dunks to his credit.
He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984 and made an immediate impact on the team. He quickly turned them from a losing team to a powerhouse, drawing crowds of over six thousand people to their games.
His skill on the court and his desire to succeed were unmatched. He became an iconic figure, earning the nickname ‘Miami Flash’ and leading the Chicago Bulls to six straight NBA championships.
After retiring from professional basketball, he founded his own company and became a businessman. His profitable endorsements and lucrative shoe deal with Nike have helped him build a multi-billion dollar fortune. He has also made major donations to charitable causes and is considered one of the most efficient sports marketers.
7. David Robinson
David Robinson was born in Key West, Florida and is best known as “The Admiral” of the San Antonio Spurs. A first-round draft pick, he was one of the top centers in the NBA during his career. He is a two-time NBA champion and a 10-time All-Star.
A veteran of the NBA, Robinson earned more than $114 million in his career. He is considered to be among the most successful basketball players of all time.
He was a great scorer with an excellent shot and was very effective on the defensive end. He also won the 1995 MVP award.
After graduating from Annapolis in 1987, he was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 1987. However, he was not able to join the team immediately because of his service obligation with the Navy.
During his rookie season, Robinson led the Spurs to a 35-game improvement over their previous record of 21-61 and was named Rookie of the Year. He was voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year and made five All-Star teams.
In 1994-95, he was a key player for the Spurs as they won the league championship and went on to win another MVP award. He was also selected to play in the 1996 Olympic games and helped lead the U.S. to a gold medal in Barcelona.
