Preface
Basketball is a great game with a high viewership base around the world. Originating from America, hoops have become a worldwide played sport. There are plenty of fans around the globe tuning in to the newest NBA tournaments. It is no surprise that the top athletes can make millions playing the game. Basketball attracts a lot of new sports talent and athletes do their best to achieve top performance. Extremely successful players journey to join the NBA and make a career in the sport. Hoops has a lot of mechanics and technique behind it, separating the game from many other team activities. Further, there are actual scientific principles governing things like ball motion and scoring. Not every sport is alike, and basketball certainly stands out as one of the greatest games ever.
What makes a great basketball player?
The sport differs greatly from American football in that things like toughness and strength are far less important. A great hoops player will have plenty of skill behind them, training every day to improve their craft. The sport is highly competitive and scoring means everything in the game. Great athletes understand that. Things like body language are an important aspect of a good champion in basketball. Understanding that leads to recruitment by a club. Motor skills are very important, getting the ball into the net can be difficult and strength often has little to do with winning. Having a good attitude is paramount, as partaking in NBA games can be extremely challenging and an athlete is certain to encounter strings of losses. Great players dedicate all their time to training, making sure they can succeed in the field. Finally toughness counts here and the ability to work under heavy stress. A lot of the new sports betting sites allow for gambling on hoops and provide nice odds for the matches.
Most paid basketball players in history
- The biggest earner here is Kevin Garnett, with the athletes aggregate income amounting to an astonishing $334.4 million. The player spent 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, collecting 10 all-star berths and getting the NBA’s most valuable player award. Later, Kevin joined the Boston Celtics and shortly after won the NBA championship. The sportsmen spent the next 5 years playing for the Celtics, before moving again to the Timberwolves and retiring after.
- The second most paid athlete is Kobe Bryant, with the sportsman’s total earnings amounting to $323.3 million. The champion played for the Lakers, leading the LA team to victory in 2009 and 2010. Further, the sportsman received the most valuable player award in the 2007-08 season. Kobe performed great in tournaments with many heralding the athlete as one of the best. The sportsman is history’s third-biggest scorer, getting more than 33 thousand points in 20 years of play.
- The third place goes to Shaquille O’Neal, this athlete managed to obtain $286.3 million throughout his career. The sportsman had great statistics, ranking at the top of the NBA best players ladder. Coming third on the historic ranks, the athlete won the finals most valuable player award and 3 all-star MVP awards. Overall Shaquille had spent 19 years playing basketball and has played 4 seasons in Orlando and 8 in Los Angeles. The athlete also spent some time playing with Miami, Boston, and Phoenix teams.
- The fourth place on this list goes to LeBron James, with overall earnings of $269.5 million. Nicknamed the King, LeBron has acquired a staggering $154.3 million contract with the LA Lakers and is expected to reach a much higher earnings sum of $387 million. The athlete previously played for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers before transitioning to the Lakers. LeBron is a winner of multiple awards and has stayed at the top of the NBA ladder for a long time.
- The fifth position on the list is occupied by Dirk Nowitzki. The athlete has total revenues of $251.6 million and is currently leaving basketball. The champion receives an annual salary of $5 million and has been in the sport for 21 years. Dirk is the first European to receive the NBA’s most valuable player award. The player’s stellar performance combined with the sportsman’s affinity to stability and dislike of career moves makes Dirk the highest foreign NBA scorer of all time. Further, the athlete had a nice string of all-star appearances, in total 11 in a row.
Ending
This article lists the 5 most successful basketball players by their total income. Four of the athletes come from the United States and the fifth from Europe. Succeeding in the NBA is extremely challenging, with many sportsmen dedicating their whole careers to professional basketball. As time continues to pass, perhaps new athletes will surpass the present-day records and make even higher gross earnings thus topping the lists.