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It's no secret that there is quite a little bit of money in sports. And this is true all over the world—whether it's soccer, football, or basketball, if you make it to the big leagues, you're pretty much set up for life. Which is fairly understandable—imagine being one of those players. Your life pretty much consists of training session after training session, consistently taking your body to the extreme. No wonder they get paid the big bucks!
One of the associations that best pay their players is none other than the NBA. Some of its greatest players are already retired, and yet, they are still worth millions. Are you curious to know exactly how many millions? Let's take a look at the ten richest NBA players in 2019.
Kevin Garnett - $120 Million
Kevin Garnett might be retired from the profession that made him rich and famous, but he will always remain in basketball history as one of the best power forwards ever. After entering the NBA draft in 1995, he was instantly picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves, hence becoming the first player straight out of high-school.
His net worth of $120 million is a direct consequence of his amazing career for the NBA, which included playing for teams such as the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets, aside from the aforementioned team.
Grant Hill - $180 Million
Kicking off this list is Grant Hill, a powerhouse standing 6 feet 8 inches tall, born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Hill is currently retired from the sport but at 47 years old, he retains a net worth of $180 Million, after a prolific career on the basketball field.
Back in the day, Grant Hill played for four teams in the NBA, including the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers. He also had endorsement campaigns with major brands, including Sprite, McDonald's, Adidas, and Nike.
David Robinson - $200 Million
Florida native Davis Robinson is now 54 years old, but his run with the National Basketball Association was nothing short of stellar. To this day, Robinson is still synonym with the sport, even though he also served in the United States Navy prior to being a professional basketball player - hence the nickname "The Admiral".
One of the richest NBA players in the entire world, Robinson spent his fourteen-year career playing for the team that first picked him, the San Antonio Spurs. he doesn't keep his spectacular $200 million net worth to himself since the former player is very much known for his charitable work.
Hakeem Olajuwon - $200 Million
Born in Nigeria in 1963, Hakeem Olajuwon was clearly destined to become a basketball superstar. His nickname "The Dream" is enough of a testament to his skills as a player, and to this day, he is still considered one of the greatest of all time. Of course, nothing else would be expected but a net worth of $200 million.
Olajuwon has left an impressive career behind him, serving as an inspiration for many who followed him, and many others to come. With countless awards and a reputation impossible to beat, it's safe to say Hakeem continues to shine bright.
Shaquille O’Neal - $400 Million
Born in New Jersey and soon made famous by his talents with a basketball was none other than player Shaquille O'Neal, yet another name everyone will instantly recognize. A career in the NBA that began in 1992 with Orlando Magic soon spread out to teams like the LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and more.
O'Neal had plenty of endeavors outside of the court that definitely contributed to his astronomic net worth of $400 million, including endorsements, acting, and even a short-lived music career. Despite being retired, Shaquille O'Neal's name will live for many years to come - and so will his bank account!
LeBron James - $480 Million
LeBron James, or "King James", is one of the youngest people to be featured on this list, and yet one of the highest-paid basketball players of all time. His time with the NBA began back in 2003, playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. James has also played for Miami Heat and, since 2018 until now, for the LA Lakers.
Much like other major players featured on this list, Lebron has signed countless endorsement deals, which, combined with his prolific career in the NBA, have both contributed to his staggering net worth of $480 million.
Kobe Bryant - $500 Million
One of the easiest recognizable names in the entire industry, both for lovers and haters of the sport, Kobe Bryant has been making headlines thanks to his impressive skills as a basketball player ever since he was first drafted by the NBA back in 1996.
For ten years, Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers, a team he has to thank for his incredible career. Now at 41 years old, Kobe has a phenomenal net worth of $500 million, both due to his time with the NBA, and the several endorsements and movie and television appearances he's made throughout the years.
Magic Johnson - $600 Million
Talk about a legend! It's not a coincidence that the man who was born Earvin Johnson became Magic Johnson, one of the absolute greatest of all time. Johnson played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 13 seasons, even returning to play for the time after being retired for four entire years.
Magic is also known for being a spokesperson for safe sex and an advocate for HIV/AIDS after announcing to the public he had been diagnosed. At now 60-years-old, Johnson has amassed a phenomenal net worth of $600 million.
Junior Bridgeman - $600 Million
Although he's not an instantly recognizable name for younger generations or those who are not super-fans of the sport, Junior Bridgeman was quite the player during his time with the NBA, with a career that began and ended with the Milwaukee Bucks.
However, it was mostly thanks to his business ventures outside of the basketball court that Bridgeman got a staggering net worth of $600 million. He is the owner of hundreds of Chili's restaurants around the States, as well as being a bottler for the Coca-Cola company.
Michael Jordan - $1.9 Billion
It's hard to imagine anyone else being on the top of this list. And considering how well the sales of Air Jordans are going, there's no reason to believe Michael Jordan will be removed from the top spot on the list of richest NBA players any time soon - not even when he turns 80!
There is no undermining his stellar career with the NBA, both when he played for the Chicago Bulls, and the Washington Wizards. Jordan is, and always will be, considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. It just so happens that the deal he struck with Nike back in the day has resulted in a $1.9 billion net worth...so far.