10 highest paid basketball players in 2018-19

The fact that there are 40 basketball players on the Forbes list of 100 best-paid sportspersons on the planet is because of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the NBA players' association and the franchises, which allows teams to offer up to 35% of their soft salary cap figure to one player.

But that isn't the only money the players receive. The NBA is among the most followed pro sports leagues in the world, meaning that the biggest brands in the world flock to the best-known players in the association to increase their cross-platform visibility.

Sportswear giants Nike, Adidas, Puma, New Balance and Li-Ning, among others, have invested heavily on marquee NBA players over the past three decades.

Here we rank the Top 10 highest paid NBA Players for the 2018-19 season, totalling their earnings from salary and endorsements:

#10 Giannis Antetokounmpo - $37 million

The Greek Freak is being projected as the early-season favourite to finish on top of the MVP ladder given the Bucks' hot start to the season and his own improved play. Eligible for a supermax extension in 2021, Giannis is currently on a 4-year, $100 million contract that makes me feel that he's criminally underpaid at the moment.

Antetokounmpo projects to earn $24 million in NBA salary in 2018-19, and will add $13 million in the form of endorsement deals through the course of the season. As the physical phenomenon tipped to take over the mantle of best player in the world from King James before long, his shoe deal with Nike is expected to bear fruition with a signature shoe by the end of 2018.

#9 Kyrie Irving - $37 million

The Celtics' best best to make the NBA Finals for the first time in 9 years, Kyrie Irving's stock has steadily risen through the course of his NBA life. His previous max deal, signed in 2014 and scheduled to expire next season when he declines his player option, pays him $20 million through 2018-19, while his Nike sneaker line is selling out stores like hot cakes.

His royalties and endorsement lump sum from Nike and other sponsors total up to $17 million, and Irving projects to earn a supermax contract next summer when he listens to free agency pitches from across the league, even though he's likely to remain a Celtic for the foreseeable future.

#8 Paul George - $37.5 million

Oklahoma City Thunder v Charlotte Hornets

The 5-time All Star re-signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent this summer without even giving a meeting to other suitors like the Los Angeles Lakers for a deal worth nearly $140 million over 4 seasons, with the option to extend it up to 7 years, $290 million after 2 seasons.

This, combined with his hot-selling signature shoe line with Nike that he receives royalty for each purchase on, bring his combined earnings for the 2018-19 season to a tally of $37.5 million. The success of the Nike PG 1 suggests that he'll be a fixture on this list for a couple of years more.

#7 Blake Griffin - $38.5 million

The former Lob City star currently steering the Motor City Detroit Pistons to their first playoff appearance in 3 seasons has found new NBA life following his trade from the Clippers. Playing alongside fellow All Star Andre Drummond, the 6'10" power forward is putting up some of the best stats of his career while displaying his entire offensive repertoire - a far cry from the pit bull style he played as a rookie.

Griffin continues to score off the court as well, netting $32 million in NBA wages this season and adding $6.5 million to that figure via endorsements with Panini, Red Bull and Nike. His contract with the league is worth $171 million over 5 years, so he's well set for life after basketball.

#6 Damian Lillard - $40.5 million

Portland Trail Blazers v Washington Wizards

Dame Dolla, as Lillard goes by in the hip hop world, is seemingly always possessed by a siege mentality of 'me against the world' whenever he steps on the hardwood. It is for that reason that he's become such a successful player, the franchise cornerstone for the Portland Trail Blazers, the reason why he got voted into the All-NBA First Team last season.

Lillard takes home $27.7 million of NBA wage money home in the 2018-19 season, and will add to that with his endorsement money coming chiefly from his Adidas sneaker line, adding up to $13 million all-in-all.

#5 James Harden - $50 million

The reigning 2017-18 Kia NBA MVP is one of the most instantly recognizable athletes across the sports world. His perfectly shaped beard and extremely wily style of play have earned him the nickname 'The Beard' over the years, following his decision not to cut his beard after getting drafted to the NBA in 2009.

Harden's profile has been on the rise ever since he was traded to the Houston Rockets, as he's made 6 straight All Star teams in addition to numerous other All-NBA accolades. The Rockets signed him to a 2-year extension on his already substantial deal in 2017, while his 13-year, $200 million deal with Adidas places his annual earnings (including his $30 million plus wages) at $50 million overall.

#4 Russell Westbrook - $55 million

Melbourne United v Oklahoma City Thunder

If Harden's fashion choices seem questionable enough, the Brody's wardrobe specialist has painted an even more outlandish picture of Russell Westbrook through the years, as we've seen him don an assortment of robes that, for the lack of a better word, can only be called bold.

Westbrook will take home $35.65 million this season, with the figure rising to $46.6 million by the end of his deal. Endorsements with Jordan Brand, PepsiCo, Samsung and True Religion Apparel take his total earnings up to $55 million for the ongoing NBA season. With him still at the peak of his powers, Westbrook will be on this list for years to come.

#3 Kevin Durant - $63 million

The snake memes may have peaked 3 summers ago in response to Durant's freshly announced signing with a 73-win Golden State Warriors franchise, but the Slim Reaper's market value has skyrocketed since his move to the Bay Area. His move from Oklahoma City (one of the smallest NBA markets) to San Francisco and the riches of Silicon Valley has only helped his marketability despite much of the hate he receives online on a daily basis.

In addition to signing a 2-year deal for $61.5 million with a player option for year 2 that'll pay him $30 million in 2018-19, KD has endorsement deals with Nike, Panini, Beats and Alaska Air that pay him nearly $33 million a year according to Forbes. This puts his total earnings from salaries and endorsements at $63 million, while he also makes significant money as a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley and will continue to do so after he retires, though the figures aren't publicly available.

#2 Stephen Curry - $79.5 million

Chef Curry's rise to the top of the basketball world was a more gradual one than James Harden's, but it was still unexpected enough for casual fans to suddenly be captivated by the new kid on the block who, at one point, was a true challenger to LeBron's status as the best-loved baller on the planet.

While the Warriors may have lost much of what endeared them to the casual, neutral NBA fan after signing Kevin Durant and winning 2 straight championships with a superteam, Curry remains one of the best-loved players on the planet.

He is still a media darling and the greatest shooter to ever stop on the hardwood, which is why it makes sense that despite being the NBA's highest wage earner at $37.45 million, he rakes in more from his endorsement deals ($42 million) with Under Armour, Chase, Nissan Motors and eHi Car Rentals.

#1 LeBron James - $88 million

Los Angeles Lakers v Portland Trail Blazers

The best player in the world for nearly the entirety of this decade, LeBron James has always ranked #1 or 2 in terms of earnings from endorsements over the last 10 years. This season, he is under contract with the Lakers for $35.65 million, and he's raking in the moolah in even larger sums from endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, Beats Electronics, Intel, Kia and Coca Cola.

Nor are these two his only sources of income. James' early-stage investments in Blaze Pizzas, one of the fastest-growing pizza sellers on the planet, will pay him huge dividends in the coming years. An astute person with regards to everything, expect James to be in the public consciousness and laugh all the way to the bank for a long time after the sad day that he hangs up his boots.

Edited by Amulya Shekhar