#3 LeBron James Total Earnings: $72.3 million Salary/winnings: $19.3 million Endorsements: $53 million
James is the NBA’s biggest endorsement star, thanks to deals with Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Upper Deck and others. Sales of his signature Nike shoes were tops among active players at $300 million in the U.S. during 2013. James also made millions through his small stake in Beats when it was sold to Apple for $3 billion.
#4 Lionel Messi Total Earnings: $64.7 million Salary/winnings: $41.7 million Endorsements: $23 million
Sponsors like Adidas, who launched his signature shoe last year, and Turkish Airlines, who paired him with NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, have invested heavily in Barcelona’s most prolific goal scorer. In May, he signed his 7th contract in 11 years that will pay him $50 million a year and extend his stay at Camp Nou until 2019.
