Stephen Curry is widely celebrated as one of basketball’s all-time greats, both for his shooting prowess and his market value.
For the 2025 26 NBA season, Curry is set to earn a base salary of $59,606,817, the highest in the league and a testament to his enduring elite performance on the court. His immense earning power is part of a trend where the top NBA players command salaries that dwarf those in other major sports.
Yet the raw salary number tells only part of the story. Like many high-income earners in the United States, Curry‘s paychecks are heavily reduced by taxes long before he ever deposits them into a bank account. At these income levels, Americans are subject to the highest marginal federal income tax rate, which can reach 37%.
“Being one of the highest-paid players in the world is great, but the reality of federal taxation at that level is immense,” financial analysts note when breaking down elite athletes’ earnings.
On top of federal taxes, Curry faces California’s state tax obligations. California has one of the highest state income tax rates in the country, with a top marginal rate around 13.3%.
Even players who are residents of zero-income-tax states must contend with this because they pay state taxes on income earned within California from games and activities, further draining their gross earnings.
“The state tax bite is dramatic for players on teams based in high-tax states like California,” a tax expert explains.
How the NBA schedule adds extra tax layers
One of the most unique aspects of an NBA star’s tax liability is the jock tax, a system that requires athletes to pay income tax in every state where they earn part of their salary. This is due to the fact that professional players are effectively “working” in each city they play in, which triggers income tax obligations for that portion of the season.
“Each game becomes a mini-paycheck for tax purposes,” an accountant specialising in professional athlete taxation describes, highlighting how those duty days are allocated across states.
Under this structure, Curry‘s earnings are apportioned fractionally to the states where he plays, and he must file multiple state tax returns accordingly. In practical terms, that means high income tax deductions not just in California, but also in states like New York, Massachusetts, and others that impose state and local income taxes.
These cumulative obligations – federal, state, and jock taxes – can easily push a star player’s tax burden well above 50% of gross salary. For some players, taking home even half of what they earn after tax is a challenge, despite earning tens of millions of dollars.
“Professional athletes often take home less than many assume once taxes are factored in,” a financial planner notes.
For Curry, this means that although his contract is nearly $60 million per season, his net after taxes is significantly lower. Estimates from recent seasons indicate that top NBA players frequently keep around 40-50% of their salary after all taxes and deductions.
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