The best athletes in the world are getting bigger paychecks. In Forbes’ list of the 50 richest athletes in the world, they collectively made nearly $3 billion.
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Out of the 50 athletes that made the list, 30 of them are Black. Here are some of the names.
LeBron James
No surprise here. Earlier this year, he became the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, so there’s no shock he’s one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. In 2022, he made $121.2 million.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is also looking to make a case to join LeBron in the Billionaire club. The reigning NBA champion made $92.8 million in 2022.
Kevin Durant
Things might not be ideal in Brooklyn right now, but the Nets superstar is still getting a bag. Kevin Durant took home $92.1 million in 2022.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Two-time MVP and 2021 Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo got a bag in 2022 making $80.9 million. The Greek Freak is living well.
Russell Westbrook
Although he’s now coming off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell Westbrook’s pockets are looking good. In 2022, he made $79.2 million.
James Harden
No longer in MVP form, James Harden is still getting MVP money. In 2022, the guard for the Philadelphia Sixers made $74.4 million.
Tiger Woods
Like LeBron James, Tiger Woods became a billionaire earlier this year. Although he’s no longer the best golfer in the world, he’s the best-paid. In 2022, he made $68 million.
Lewis Hamilton
This British F1 Racer is the best in the world and made $65 million in 2022 to back it up.
Naomi Osaka
The highest-paid woman on this list, Naomi Osaka, is also one of the greatest tennis players in the world. In 2022, she made $59.2 million.
Damian Lillard
The All-Star guard for the Portland Trailblazers is one of the most exciting players in the league when he’s on. With the help of his Adidas contract, Lillard made $57.2 million in 2022.
Deshaun Watson
Mostly thanks to the lucrative contract the Browns gave him earlier this year, this Cleveland Browns quarterback has made $55.6 million in 2022.
Klay Thompson
After coming off of two major injuries, Thompson is back on the court and back to making the big bucks. In 2022, he made $55 million.
Patrick Mahomes
The best quarterback in the league, Patrick Mahomes is also one of the best-paid athletes in the league. Owner of the largest contract in the history of sports, Mahomes took home $49.1 million in 2022.
Jimmy Butler
The Miami Heat guard is often injured, but that doesn’t affect the money he makes off the court. He took home $48 million in 2022.
Paul George
The Los Angeles Clippers forward is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. He’s also one of the best at bringing home paychecks. In 2022, he made $47.9 million.
Kawhi Leonard
Paul George’s teammate, Kawhi Leonard, has not been able to stay on the court because of an injury he suffered during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. But he’s still making bank, taking home $45.4 million in 2022.
Anthony Davis
After a disappointing 2021-2022 NBA season, Anthony Davis has been balling out for the Los Angeles Lakers in the early part of this year. In 2022, he made a salary of $45.4 million.
Serena Williams
To no surprise, one of the greatest athletes of all time and also the greatest tennis player ever... is also one of the best-paid athletes in the world. Whew! In 2022, despite being “retired” for most of it, Serena still took home $45.3 million.
John Wall
The Los Angeles Clippers guard made $44.8 million in 2022.
Kylian Mbappé
The French fútbol star is busy playing with France for the right to win the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. But at only 23 years old, he’s one of the highest-paid athletes in the world and took home a whopping $43 million in 2022.
Marshon Lattimore
The feisty cornerback for the New Orleans Saints made $40.9 million in 2022.
Devin Booker
The best shooting guard in the NBA made $39.9 million in 2022.
Joel Embiid
One of the most dominant and physically imposing players in the NBA took home an impressive $39.7 million in 2022.
Amari Cooper
The underrated wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns made $39.4 million in 2022.
Dak Prescott
The quarterback for America’s Team (and Amari Cooper’s former teammate), Dak Prescott made $29.4 million in 2022.
Chris Paul
Although the veteran “Point God” for the Phoenix Suns may be slowing down on the court, he’s doing pretty well for himself off the court, making $39.1 million in 2022.
Stefon Diggs
The confident wide receiver is extremely talented at catching footballs on the field and great at catching bags off of it. In 2022, he made $38.7 million.
Kemba Walker
Despite not being the same level of NBA player that he was a few years ago, he’s still getting paid like it. He made $38 million in 2022.
Russell Wilson
Since being traded to the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson’s play has been nothing short of disappointing. But, thanks to his new contract, he still made $38 million in 2022.
Bradley Beal
The star guard for the Washington Wizards made $37.7 million in 2022.
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