Stephen Curry Dethrones LeBron as the NBA’s Top Earner

💥 The Power Shift at the Top

For the first time in 11 years, LeBron James isn’t the NBA’s top earner.
That title now belongs to Stephen Curry, who’s set to make a staggering $159.6 million in 2025, surpassing LeBron’s $137.6 million.

This marks the first time in Curry’s 17-season career that he’s topped Forbes’ list of the NBA’s highest-paid players — a milestone fueled by the explosive growth of his Curry Brand under Under Armour and a masterclass in athlete entrepreneurship.

💰 The Top 10: NBA’s Biggest Earners of 2025

Total earnings (Top 10): $902 million — a record high.

📈 The $902 Million Player Economy

This year’s top-10 earnings mark a 23% year-over-year jump, driven by:

• A $76 billion NBA media rights deal set to run through 2035.

• International expansion — the NBA is now generating over $2.1B annually from China and Europe alone.

• Equity-driven endorsement structures, where players own upside in their partner brands rather than just cashing checks.

Curry’s new deal structure exemplifies this evolution:
He earns more from equity and residuals than from his Warriors salary.

🧩 Why Curry’s Rise Matters

1. Under Armour’s Second Act

   • Curry Brand is projected to hit $400M+ in 2025 sales, up 80% year-over-year.

   • It’s now the fastest-growing athlete sub-brand in global footwear.

2. Equity Over Endorsements

   • Curry holds equity stakes in Whoop, Tonal, and Hyperice, among others.

   • These holdings now account for nearly 25% of his net worth growth since 2020.

3. ROI on Influence

   • Curry leads all active NBA players in brand engagement ROI per follower.

   • His social content drives ~2.4x the conversion rate of the average NBA endorsement post.

Curry’s playbook: own your brand, invest in your category, and compound it globally.

⚖️ LeBron’s Legacy: Still King, But in Transition

LeBron’s $137.6M haul is still elite — anchored by:

• His Nike lifetime contract (~$1B lifetime value).

• Equity in SpringHill Entertainment (valued over $700M).

• Ongoing business plays in sports ownership and media.

But his on-court salary growth has plateaued, while Curry’s combination of Supermax + equity-powered branding pushed him past the threshold.

It’s not a fall — it’s a handoff between two models of sports wealth:

• LeBron built empires.

• Curry built scalable ecosystems.

🧠 Macro Context: The $76B Media Rights Wave

• The NBA’s new 10-year media deal (2025–2035) adds $7.6B per year in new revenue.

• Projections show the salary cap could exceed $220M by 2030.

• By then, at least five players will clear $100M+ annually, combining on-court pay and equity.

• The first $200M player could arrive before 2030 — likely a Gen Z star with global crossover appeal.

This isn’t inflation — it’s the financialization of athlete IP.

🔥 The New Athlete Business Model

Curry’s rise marks the pivot point:
The modern athlete isn’t an ambassador — they’re a brand operator.

🚨 Blunt Take:

Stephen Curry didn’t just dethrone LeBron —
he rewrote the math of athlete capitalism.

The next era of sports wealth will be powered by:

• Equity, not contracts.

• Influence, not followers.

• Platforms, not sponsorships.

The numbers don’t lie — they compound.

The athlete economy just hit $900 million — and it’s still accelerating.
Expect billion-dollar player portfolios before the decade ends.

Men lie. Women lie. The numbers never do.