The 2025-26 NBA season is not only interesting because of crazy points, dunks, victories, losses… it is also all about the record-breaking paychecks. Player salaries continue to rise in the league as TV contracts, international revenue, and endorsement deals enter the competition.
All these things make many people wonder how much does a typical NBA player really make, and who is at the top of the salary pyramid. So, how is it?
The big numbers behind the league’s paydays
According to numbers reported by ‘Basketball-Reference‘, the 2025-26 average NBA player salary is approximately $11.8 million. The median salary, a more accurate representation of what most of them actually make, is nearer $5.7 million, less than half of the league’s average. This fact represents how high and superlative some of the NBA contracts are compared to the rest.
This wide gap between the two figures indicates how a small minority of superstar contracts widely impacts the league average. The NBA salary cap for the 2025-26 season is $154.6 million, an increase of about 10% from last year, fueled mainly by new TV contracts and overseas expansion.
As the league’s money fountain continues to grow, most players still make fairly well compared with the out-of-this-galaxy contracts of the sport’s stars.
The highest-paid NBA players for 2025-26
According to the salary information on ESPN and Basketball-Reference, the following players are highest paid this year:
- Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) – $59.6 million
- Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) – $55.2 million
- Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) – $55.2 million
- Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) – $54.1 million
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) – $54 million
- Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks) – $53.8 million
- Jimmy Butler (Golden State Warriors) – $52.4 million
Curry is again the league’s highest-paid player with near $60 million guaranteed salary before endorsements. Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid are the next two, each over $55 million.
Why NBA compensation continues to rise
NBA compensation is linked to league revenues, which increase through multi-billion-dollar TV contracts and globalization. The next media rights agreement, starting in 2026, should continue to make the salary cap to keep increasing, maybe to a figure of more than $13 million average player compensation.
Franchises are also showering players with huge sums of money. Supermax contracts, intended to enable franchises to retain homegrown superstars, are now the norm. Jokic and Tatum are among the recipients, signing contracts worth more than $300 million over several years.
While new collective bargaining guidelines encourage balance, capping how much teams are allowed to spend without incurring in highly-severe tax penalties, the market for superstars has never been more hungry for franchise players.
The human side of NBA wealth
While superstars are the ones who make the decisions, most NBA players are still subject to economic realities that are not so glamorous. The 2025-26 rookie minimum salary is $1.16 million, and those with ten or more years must receive at least $3.2 million.
For most players, a career in pro basketball is shorter than five years, therefore smart financial plans could be even more important for their careers than the skill they show on the court. Outside pursuits like endorsements, media, and business deals are now instrumental in maintaining their rich lifestyle after retirement.
However, the NBA is still the globe’s highest-compensated sports league per player, a reflection of its worldwide popularity and of the marketability of its stars.
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