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In the NBA's rich and illustrious history, there have been numerous instances of players who developed their own global brands.
While the trend inadvertently started with the evolution of Michael Jordan and his immense sneaker empire, a bevy of reasons have led to the rise in instances of NBA stars who have their own global brands today.
Five NBA players with the highest brand value
Not many NBA players come close to the brand Michael Jordan built, considering his current net worth of almost $1.9 billion.
However, stars such as Lebron James, Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook have capitalized on their immense worldwide appeal. That has led to highly profitable apparel and sneaker collaborations and widely-recognized signature logos.
On that note, let us take a look at five active NBA players with the highest brand value.
#5 Paul George
Six-time All-star Paul George might still be on the lookout for his first NBA title but has managed to monetize his fame to a commendable extent.
Paul George, who is in Forbes’ list of the 100 richest celebrities in 2019, collaborated with Nike for the PG sneaker series. George is currently estimated to have a brand value of around $90 million.
He has been the face of EA Sports’ NBA 2k series and has a number of other endorsements as well. The NBA player has deals with Foot Locker, New Era and Gatorade, making his brand one of the most valuable ones around.
#4 Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant will earn a cool $26 million through wages in the 2020-21 NBA season. However, he also has a plethora of lucrative endorsements.
Since June 2019, the Brooklyn Nets ace is rumored to have earned more than $65 million from deals with brands like Gatorade, Nike, Degree and a few more.
Currently, Durant is said to have a net worth of around $170 million, making him one of the richest NBA stars around. His iconic yet simple KD logo is globally recognized, making his brand the fourth valuable among current NBA players.
#3 Russell Westbrook
NBA star Russell Westbrook is a bonafide fashion icon in his own right.
The Washington Wizards player currently has a net worth of around $170 million and started his own brand 'Honor The Gift' in 2017. It is a sporting-leisure apparel brand that also has various philanthropic elements to it.
Russell Westbrook is one of the most fashionable NBA stars and is known to spend more than $300,000 on clothes every year.
While quite a few NBA stars over the years have managed to gain a worldwide following, Westbrook is one of the few to have used it to full advantage.
#2 Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry has revolutionized the art of shooting a basketball and is also one of the richest athletes in the world.
Apart from his $40 million salary, Stephen Curry gets paid around $42 million a year from a range of endorsements, most notably his shoe deal that he signed with Under Armour.
Moreover, he recently launched 'The Curry Brand', a separate apparel company that is looking to get into golf,as well.
Stephen Curry, who is said to have a market value of around $450 million, has announced various philanthropic initiatives in the past as well.
#1 LeBron James
In what may come as little surprise, LeBron James has a net worth of around $450 million and multiple collaborations across various brands.
With Nike,the NBA star signed a $93 million deal in 2003 that is rumored to have a payoff of a billion dollars when the player retires from the sport.
He initially had the iconic “L23” logo that went on the collaborative Nike sneakers; in 2010, James hired designer Darrin Crescenzi to work on the iconic crown logo that is still associated with his brand.
Currently, LeBron James earns around $32 million a year through his Nike sneaker deal alone; he happens to be the NBA player with the most lucrative sneaker contract with the brand.
Guess the Lakers players!
