Michael Jordan is the richest NBA player of all time, with a net worth of about $4.7 billion as of October 2026. This list ranks 15 current and former players by our own net worth estimates, built from contracts, endorsement deals and the value of the teams and businesses they own. Magic Johnson (about $1.6 billion) and LeBron James (about $1.3 billion) follow.
| Rank | Name | Net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Jordan | $4.7 billion |
| 2 | Magic Johnson | $1.6 billion |
| 3 | LeBron James | $1.3 billion |
| 4 | Shaquille O’Neal | $500 million |
| 5 | Kobe Bryant | $400 million at death |
| 6 | Kevin Durant | $300 million |
| 7 | Stephen Curry | $250 million |
| 8 | Dwyane Wade | $210 million |
| 9 | Hakeem Olajuwon | $200 million |
| 10 | Grant Hill | $200 million |
| 11 | Kevin Garnett | $190 million |
| 12 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | $180 million |
| 13 | Carmelo Anthony | $160 million |
| 14 | Tim Duncan | $143 million |
| 15 | Gary Payton | $135 million |
1. Michael Jordan: Net worth $4.7 billion
Six championships with the Chicago Bulls, five MVP awards, and then a second career in which he never took another jump shot. Jordan ranks first by a margin so wide that the rest of this list could be merged and still not reach him.
Most of his wealth comes from Nike. The Air Jordan line grew into a standalone brand with annual sales in the billions, and he collects a royalty on it (see how it started in our piece on his Nike Airs). He bought the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 and sold the majority of the team in 2023, and he co-owns the NASCAR team 23XI Racing with driver Denny Hamlin.
The number rests on the reported team valuation at the 2023 sale, the royalty stream from Jordan Brand, and his racing and other holdings. We used the 2026 figure that comes out of that math.
2. Magic Johnson: Net worth $1.6 billion
Five titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, three MVP awards and twelve All-Star games set up what came next. Johnson turned retirement into a business plan: Magic Johnson Enterprises put movie theaters, restaurants and urban real estate into neighborhoods that big chains had skipped.
He is now a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers through Guggenheim Baseball Management, Los Angeles FC, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Washington Spirit and the Washington Commanders. He sold his small Lakers stake years ago.
We built this figure from the team valuations behind those stakes, applied to his reported share of each, plus the value of his investment firm.
3. LeBron James: Net worth $1.3 billion
In 2022 he became the first active NBA player to pass $1 billion in career earnings, and the gap between his salary and his total income has kept widening. He has four championships, four MVP awards and the career scoring record. In 2026 he finished his run with the Lakers.
The side businesses matter more than any contract. Nike signed him to a lifetime deal in 2015 (reportedly worth over $1 billion), his media company SpringHill makes films and shows, and he owns a small piece of Fenway Sports Group, the parent of Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox.
Our model adds his estimated lifetime earnings after tax to the value of his stakes in SpringHill and Fenway, and gives him a place just behind Johnson.
4. Shaquille O’Neal: Net worth $500 million
Shaq won four titles and then kept showing up everywhere else. He is a studio analyst on the NBA’s most-watched pregame show, a franchise owner of restaurants and car washes, and a shareholder in the brand licensing company that owns Reebok.
He also spent decades buying stocks and early tech companies, and he has a board seat at Papa Johns and a small share of the Sacramento Kings. The dancing, the movies and the four rap albums were the fun part.
Our figure comes from his career salary, his endorsement history and his reported franchise and brand holdings, valued at today’s market multiples.
5. Kobe Bryant: Net worth $400 million at death
Bryant spent all 20 seasons with the Lakers, won five championships and, after retiring in 2016, won an Oscar for the short film Dear Basketball. He died in January 2020.
The biggest swing in his wealth came from a 10% stake he took in the sports drink BodyArmor in 2014. When Coca-Cola bought the company in 2021 for a reported $5.6 billion, the value of that early bet grew into the hundreds of millions. His production company Granity Studios and a Nike deal that dates back to 2003 added to that.
We estimate his net worth at death from the BodyArmor deal price, career salary and endorsement income. The range is wide, and we have settled on the middle of it.
6. Kevin Durant: Net worth $300 million
Two championships, two Finals MVP awards, four scoring titles and four Olympic gold medals. Durant is still active and was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2025.
His wealth leans on contracts rather than a single hit business. His career salary is among the largest in NBA history, a lifetime Nike contract was reported in 2023, and his firm Thirty Five Ventures with Rich Kleiman owns the media brand Boardroom and has stakes in startups.
We counted salary earned so far, endorsement income and the estimated value of the Thirty Five Ventures portfolio. Reports differ, so treat this one as a midpoint.
7. Stephen Curry: Net worth $250 million
The man who rewrote the three-point shot has four rings and two MVP awards, one of them the first unanimous vote in league history.
Off the court, the Curry Brand sneaker line began with Under Armour in 2020, his company Unanimous Media produces film and television, and he has put money into golf and tech ventures.
The figure is a blend of salary received to date and a haircut version of his brand and media income. As a result the number could move quickly in either direction.
8. Dwyane Wade: Net worth $210 million
Wade won three championships with the Miami Heat, was Finals MVP in 2006 and was inducted in 2023, and Miami retired his jersey.
He joined the Chinese brand Li-Ning in 2012 and later signed a lifetime deal, makes wine under Wade Cellars, and became a minority owner of the Utah Jazz in 2021.
We built the estimate from his career salary, the Li-Ning relationship and the value of his Jazz share, then reduced it for taxes and living costs.
9. Hakeem Olajuwon: Net worth $200 million
Olajuwon won two titles with the Houston Rockets, the 1994 MVP award and two Defensive Player of the Year awards. At 63, he still trains big men, and for years he has spent more time on real estate than on basketball.
He reportedly bought Houston property with cash, a strategy that let him avoid debt entirely.
The estimate is anchored in his career salary and the reported value of his Texas property, which has gone up with the city.
10. Grant Hill: Net worth $200 million
Hill played from 1994 to 2013 with the Pistons, Magic, Suns and Clippers and made seven All-Star teams despite an ankle injury that cost him most of several seasons. He was inducted in 2018.
A Sprite ad campaign made him one of the most recognised faces of the 1990s, and he became a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks in 2015. The team’s value has climbed since.
Our number leans on salary and endorsements from his playing days, plus his Hawks stake at its current franchise valuation.
11. Kevin Garnett: Net worth $190 million
Garnett was the first player in a generation to go straight from high school to the pros, and he won MVP in 2004 and a title with Boston in 2008. He retired in 2016 and was inducted in 2020.
His career salary topped $300 million, which was the highest total for any player when he stopped playing. He has since put money into a wide range of ventures, including a fitness brand.
We began with a salary ledger, then subtracted taxes and added his reported business investments.
12. Giannis Antetokounmpo: Net worth $180 million
Antetokounmpo is the newest name here, and he is still in his prime. He won MVP in 2019 and 2020, Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 and the 2021 championship and Finals MVP with the Milwaukee Bucks.
A five-year contract of about $228 million, signed in 2020, put him among the top earners, and he has bought into the Milwaukee Brewers and Nashville SC. He also has a long-term Nike deal.
Because his best earning years are ahead, this figure is a snapshot built from signed contracts and team stakes.
13. Carmelo Anthony: Net worth $160 million
Anthony scored more than 28,000 points, made ten All-Star teams and was inducted into the hall in 2025. He played in four Olympic Games and brought home three gold medals (2008, 2012 and 2016).
He retired in 2023 and now spends time on his podcast and on Melo7 Tech Partners, a venture fund. His Jordan Brand deal made him one of the first stars outside Jordan’s own shoe orbit.
The estimate comes from reported career earnings and ongoing endorsements, with the venture fund included at a cautious value.
14. Tim Duncan: Net worth $143 million
Duncan won five championships with the Spurs, took two MVP awards and spent all 19 seasons in San Antonio. He was enshrined in 2020.
He also lived modestly. He never chased endorsements the way his peers did, and that shows up in the totals.
The number follows his reported career salary of more than $200 million, reduced for taxes, and matched against his limited endorsement work.
15. Gary Payton: Net worth $135 million
Payton, known as The Glove for his defence, was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 and won a title with the Heat in 2006. He made nine All-Star teams and was enshrined in 2013.
His wealth is mostly his salary across 17 seasons, with a modest endorsement history and some local business interests.
We estimated from career earnings and subtracted tax, which is why he lands at the bottom.
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Watch: Top 10 Richest NBA Players Of All Time (Ranked)
FAQ
Who is the richest NBA player of all time?
Michael Jordan, with an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion as of October 2026. Most of it comes from his Nike royalties and the 2023 sale of the Charlotte Hornets.
How much is LeBron James worth?
We estimate $1.3 billion. His wealth comes from a lifetime Nike deal, his production company SpringHill and a stake in Fenway Sports Group.
Who is new on the list?
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry now rank, replacing Juwan Howard, Chris Webber and Dirk Nowitzki. Kobe Bryant also rises sharply because of his BodyArmor stake.
Which active player is likely to climb fastest?
Antetokounmpo and Curry both have long contracts and active brand businesses, so their numbers are the ones most likely to grow.
Why did Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson rank above many longer careers?
Both put equity ahead of salary. Bryant’s BodyArmor stake and Johnson’s team ownership grew far faster than any contract could.
How are these net worths estimated?
We combine reported salary, endorsement deals, business valuations and team stakes, then adjust for taxes and costs. They are estimates and will change.
How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
For this list we leaned on contract values, brand and endorsement deals, and the valuation of any team or company a player owns a share of. Where a stake was sold or revalued in a deal, we used the deal price to anchor the figure.
Last updated: October 2026.
