Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kevin Durant are the kings of NBA sneaker earnings.
According to Forbes, Jordan, LeBron and KD make the most money through sneaker income:
Michael Jordan (Jordan) | $130 million
Jordan’s Nike paycheck has come a long way since the Swoosh signed him in 1984 out of UNC to a five-year deal worth $500,000 annually. The Air Jordan XXXIII released last fall was the first Jordan to forgo laces and use a cable-activated tightening system.
James signed a lifetime deal with Nike at the end of 2015 that his business partner Maverick Carter told GQ is worth more than $1 billion. James will have to continue to move product long into retirement to reach $1 billion under the pact. His first Nike deal was worth $90 million over seven years.
Durant’s business partner Rich Kleinman says Nike sells more KD shoes in China than in North America. The Durant Nike franchise grew double digits in 2019, according to Cowen.
Some other notable stars who make a bunch of money through sneakers are Stephen Curry, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving.
However, no one is even close to touching Michael Jordan. Not even LeBron James, who is still universally recognized as the most popular basketball player in the world. It looks like MJ is going to dominate these rankings for years to come, and perhaps for the rest of his life.
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