Top Highest-Paid NBA Players in 2025
The highest-paid NBA players in 2025 are led by Stephen Curry, whose salary for the 2024-25 season is set at approximately $55.76 million, making him the top earner on the court. Curry signed a four-year, $215 million max contract extension with the Golden State Warriors in 2021, and his on-court earnings are supplemented by a vast business portfolio, including Curry Brand with Under Armour and equity stakes in multiple ventures, as detailed in recent profiles by Forbes. His total income from salary and off-court businesses positions him as the highest-earning basketball player in the current NBA landscape.
Following Curry, the highest-paid NBA players list for 2025 includes LeBron James, whose Lakers salary for the 2024-25 season is approximately $52.6 million, and Nikola Jokic, who earns around $51.4 million with the Denver Nuggets. LeBron's 2023-24 contract with the Lakers is a two-year, $104 million deal, with the second year at $52.6 million, while his off-court earnings from media and business are substantial, as reported by Forbes. Jokic's five-year, $276 million supermax extension with the Nuggets, signed in 2022, secures his place among the top earners, with his salary and limited off-court endorsements driving his total income.
Key Salary Figures and Contract Structures
Stephen Curry's $55.76 million salary for the 2024-25 season is the highest single-year salary in NBA history, driven by the 2017 "supermax" contract rules that allowed the Warriors to offer him a 5-year, $201 million deal. His current extension adds a fourth year at $55.76 million and a fifth-year player option for the 2025-26 season, with the salary projected to rise further due to the league's new collective bargaining agreement revenue-sharing terms, as outlined in official NBA CBA documents. The structure of Curry's deal, with its high base salary and no trade kicker, exemplifies how max contracts for veteran superstars are constructed in the current salary cap system.
LeBron James's 2024-25 salary of $52.6 million and Nikola Jokic's $51.4 million are the second and third highest in the league, with both players earning above the second luxury tax apron. LeBron's contract includes a no-trade clause and a player option for the 2025-26 season, while Jokic's supermax extension features standard salary protection for the Nuggets. The NBA's 2023 CBA changes, including a higher salary cap and a new 50/50 revenue split for players, have directly contributed to these record-setting salaries for the highest-paid NBA players, as explained in league and financial analyses from sources like ESPN and the NBA's official site.
Highest-Paid NBA Players by Total Earnings and Off-Court Income
Stephen Curry's total earnings in 2025, combining his $55.76 million salary with an estimated $80 million in off-court income from Curry Brand, investments, and media deals, make him the highest-paid basketball player overall. His partnership with Under Armour for Curry Brand shoes and apparel generates significant royalties, and his equity in companies like Unanimous Media and various venture funds adds to his wealth, with Forbes regularly reporting on his business portfolio and net worth. LeBron James's total earnings are similarly massive, with his Lakers salary of $52.6 million and an estimated $70 million in off-court income from Spring