Current Highest Paid NBA Player
As of the most recent NBA season, the highest paid player is Stephen Curry, who earns a base salary of about $55.8 million for the 2025-26 campaign, according to Spotrac and NBA salary databases.
Curry's total compensation includes his guaranteed salary plus likely incentives tied to All-NBA selections, championships, and All-Star appearances, making his on-court earnings the top figure in the league.
Contract Structure and Team
Curry is under a multi-year extension with the Golden State Warriors, signed in 2021, that locks in his high earnings through the 2025-26 season with player options extending beyond that window.
The deal is structured with a high base salary and limited escalators, reflecting his status as the Warriors' cornerstone and the NBA's top earner by guaranteed money.
Salary Breakdown
His base salary for the current season is roughly $55.8 million, with additional likely incentives that can push his total cash closer to $59 million depending on performance triggers.
Curry's salary is the largest single-player contract in the NBA, and it is fully guaranteed, meaning the Warriors are obligated to pay the full amount regardless of injury or performance.
Comparison With Other Top Earners
Other high earners in the NBA include Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard, and LeBron James, but Curry's base salary exceeds theirs in the current season, keeping him at the top of the earnings list.
Forbes regularly tracks NBA salaries and reports that Curry's earnings on the court place him among the highest paid athletes globally, ahead of most other basketball players.