Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant Join LeBron James as NBA Billionaires
LeBron James is no longer the only active NBA player with a career earning exceeding $1 billion. According to Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen, both Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have reached billionaire status, combining their on-court salaries and endorsement deals.
Top Earners in the 2025-26 Season
- LeBron James leads with $132.6 million, including a $52.6 million salary from the Los Angeles Lakers and $80 million in endorsements.
- Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant each earn $80 million from endorsements alone this season.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo is close to $100 million this season, with $99.1 million in total earnings.
Career Earnings Milestones
James and Durant are the only players in NBA history to earn more than $500 million on the court. Durant surpassed this milestone with his $53.3 million salary from the Houston Rockets this season, while Curry ranks third with $470.1 million in career salary earnings from the Golden State Warriors.
Curry is expected to cross the $500 million mark in on-court earnings during the 2026-27 season, with a salary projected at $62.6 million.
Salary Leadership
"Curry has the highest salary in the NBA for the ninth consecutive season," noted Badenhausen, attributing this to his continued tenure with the Warriors and his supermax contracts signed in 2017 and 2021.
James, Curry, and Durant remain the only NBA players earning at least $100 million during the 2025-26 season, combining salaries and endorsements.
Author's summary: Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have joined LeBron James as billionaires in NBA earnings, with all three leading in combined salary and endorsements during the 2025-26 season.