Kevin Durant – 2023 earnings of $89.1 million
Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns can boast earnings of $89.1 million for 2023. The power forward will make less than half of that thanks to his on-court duties, with endorsements making up $45 million of the total figure. Durant has deals with Nike, Sprint and Gatorade. In 2017, he launched his own media company, Thirty Five Ventures, named after his iconic jersey number.
Roger Federer – 2023 earnings of $95.1 million
Even in retirement, Roger Federer will see his earnings for 2023 top out at $95.1 million. The tennis great played his last match in September 2022 and all but $100,000 of his income has come from off-court earnings. Federer has deals with all the top luxury brands such as Rolex, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz and Moët.
Stephen Curry – 2023 earnings of $100.4 million
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is sitting pretty with $100.4 million as his 2023 earnings. Curry sits behind only LeBron James as the highest paid player in the NBA with his Warriors salary making up $48.4 million of his earnings. Curry has broken the $100 million mark thanks to his mega deal as the face of Under Armour.
Phil Mickelson – 2023 earnings of $106 million
Phil Mickelson will pocket a massive $106 million in 2023 thanks to his brilliance on the golf course. Unlike in other sports, individual prize money is huge in golf and Mickelson can thank that prize money for making up $104 of his $106 million earnings. Michelson was controversially one of the first golfers to sign up to play in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league in 2022.
Dustin Johnson – 2023 earnings of $107 million
Much like his fellow golfer Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson can thank two things that will see his 2023 earnings top $107 million: his impeccable play and LIV Golf. As one of the inaugural players to join the controversial Saudi-backed league, Johnson has seen his on-course payments making up $102 million of his $107 earnings.
Canelo Álvarez – 2023 earnings of $110 million
Canelo Álvarez can boast of being the only boxer in the world to ever be crowned undisputed champion of the light-middleweight division, while also boasting 2023 earnings of $110 million. The Mexican fighter has only lost once in almost a decade and is the definition of a prize fighter. Sports network DAZN signed Álvarez to an exclusive 11-fight deal in 2018 for $365 million.
LeBron James – 2023 earnings of $119.5 million
As the all-time leading points scorer in the NBA, LeBron James is also the highest paid player in the league. This salary has helped LeBron to $119.5 million in 2023 earnings. Only $44.5 million of this is thanks to his Lakers pay check though. A massive $75 million comes from his endorsements with Coca-Cola, Beats, Nike and McDonalds to name a few.
Kylian Mbappé – 2023 earnings of $120 million
French soccer player Kylian Mbappé will see his 2023 earnings top $120 million. Earning around $1.25 million a week playing for Ligue 1 side Paris Saint Germain as their captain, Mbappé has leveraged his potential transfer to rival Real Madrid to his financial advantage. Brand deals with Nike and EA Sports only add to Mbappé’s earning power.
Lionel Messi – 2023 earnings of $130 million
Not even taking Leonel Messi’s move to Inter Miami and the MLS into account, 2023 earnings of $130 million is an incredible figure. The Argentinian’s skills on the soccer pitch have seen him win seven Ballon d’Or trophies and, since he led his nation to victory in the 2022 World Cup, his value to brands has only increased. Even before this, he signed a $1billion, lifetime deal with Adidas in 2017.
Cristiano Ronaldo – 2023 earnings of $136 million
When soccer star Ronaldo looks back on his 2023 earnings of $136 million in a few years time, it will probably seem like chump change. This is due to Ronaldo signing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr at the end of 2022. The deal will see the Portugal captain pocket a reported $214 million per year on a three-year deal with the club. Remarkably, in 2020, Ronaldo became the first team-based player to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – 2023 earnings of $87.6 million
Basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo earned $42.6 million on the court in 2023, and a further $45 million from commercial work. Currently halfway through a $228 million five-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, this Greek-Nigerian athlete recently became the subject of a Disney biopic entitled Rise.
Neymar – 2023 earnings of $85 million
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, known by the mononym Neymar, is the highest scorer Brazil’s national football team has ever produced. The 31-year-old also plays for the Saudi club Al Hilal and has the rare accomplishment of scoring at least 100 goals for three separate teams. His earnings in 2023 total $85 million, and he is considered one of the most marketable athletes alive.
Russell Williams – 2023 earnings of $85 million
With 2023 earnings of $85 million, football star Russell Wilson is a quarterback for the Denver Broncos, having spent a previous ten seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He has topped up his professional salary by featuring in a broad range of advertisements, including for the likes of Levi’s, Pepsi, Nike, Alaska Airlines, Microsoft and Duracell.
Russell Westbrook – 2023 earnings of $82.5 million
Basketball pro Russell Westbrook has joined five different NBA teams over his professional career, and is currently with the Los Angeles Clippers. Born and raised in California, Westbrook rose to fame with the Oklahoma City Thunder. With $82.5 million earned in 2023, he has a wide range of interests outside of the sport – he has launched his own streetwear brand and produced an Emmy Award-winning film about the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Rory McIlroy – 2023 earnings of $80.8 million
Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy is one of the world’s greatest golf players, having won four majors before he reached his 25th birthday. He also broke records financially, as in 2012 he became the youngest ever player to make $10 million on the PGA Tour. His salary from 2023 is split almost equally between sport and other endeavours: he earned $40.8 million from his sport and $40 million elsewhere.
Tiger Woods – 2023 earnings of $75.1 million
Following an infidelity scandal that hit the headlines in 2010, Tiger Woods has worked hard to restore his public reputation and managed to earn $75.1 million in 2023, $60 million of which was in commercial ventures. Outside of sports, Woods has made big bucks with his book How I Play Golf, as well as a non-fungible token project that targeted golf fans.
Cameron Smith – 2023 earnings of $73 million
Born and raised in Queensland, Australia, golfer Cameron Smith has gone from strength to strength since winning the 2022 Open Championship. With five PGA Tour tournament victories to his name, he has earned $67 million in golf in 2023, and a further $6 million in endorsements and other ventures.
Brooks Koepka – 2023 earnings of $72 million
American golfer Brooks Koepka earned the world number one spot in 2018 and held this position for 47 weeks. Recently he became a five-time majors champion at the 2023 PGA Championship. As a result, the majority of his 2023 earnings come from his sporting victories, though he collected a further $6 million off the course.
Kyler Murray – 2023 earnings of $70.5 million
A third-generation Korean American, Kyler Murray quit a promising baseball career to become a football star, joining the NFL Draft in 2019. This star is currently signed with the Arizona Cardinals, in the middle of a $230.5 million five-year contract. A keen gamer, he also works with the esports organisation FaZe Clan, and earned a total of $70.5 million in 2023.
Bryson DeChambeau – 2023 earnings of $69 million
Dubbed ‘The Scientist’ for his meticulous and analytical style, Bryson DeChambeau made history as the third player to have won the NCAA Division I championship, the US Amateur and the US Open, following in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. His recent sports winnings have totalled $68 million, with $1 million more in endorsements and other ventures.
Lewis Hamilton – 2023 earnings of $65 million
Sir Lewis Hamilton is a British racing driver with the most wins of any Formula One star. 2022-2023 marked his first ever season without a win, but nevertheless he has managed to rack up $65 million in total earnings in 2023. In recent years, Hamilton founded his own production company, named Dawn Apollo Films, and in 2022 he became one of the owners of the Denver Broncos.
Max Verstappen – 2023 earnings of $64 million
Belgian-Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen is one of Lewis Hamilton’s fiercest rivals, triumphing as the Formula One World Champion in 2021, 2022 and 2023. As part of the Red Bull Racing team, he has earned $60 million in 2023, plus $4 million in endorsements. Over the years, Verstappen has teamed up with various companies including TAG Heuer, Puma and Jumbo Supermarkets.
Klay Thompson – 2023 earnings of $60.9 million
Famed for his “picture-perfect” shooting form, Klay Thompson is an Olympic champion basketball player who is currently with the Golden State Warriors. As a five-time NBA All-Star, he is a highly marketable star, with $20 million of his $60.9 million 2023 earnings coming from outside the sport. He holds a rare sponsorship deal with Chinese shoe company Anta, as well as NERF and Gillette.
Patrick Mahomes – 2023 earnings of $59.3 million
Once described as the “most talented player in the NFL”, Patrick Mahomes is the son of baseball star Pat Mahomes. Like his fellow NFL star Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes quit baseball to focus on football. In 2020, he entered a ten-year contract extension with the Kansas Chiefs, in a deal worth $503 million – the third-largest contract in the history of sports. His earnings totalled $59.3 million in 2023.
Damian Lillard – 2023 earnings of $58.6 million
Milwaukee Bucks star and former NBA Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard is one of the highest-earning basketball players. He earned a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics, and in the NBA he has scored at least 50 points in 15 of his games – a particularly impressive feat. His talents aren’t limited to basketball, however. Under the stage name Dame D.O.L.L.A., he has released four rap albums. His earnings for 2023 came to $58.6 million, with $16 million from non-sporting endeavours.
Max Scherzer – 2023 earnings of $56.7 million
Maxwell Scherzer, nicknamed Mad Max for his extreme competitiveness, is a pitcher for the Texas Rangers. He has eight MLB All-Star titles to his name, and broke records with a seven-year, $210 million contract in 2015. Scherzer earns more than $43 million each season, placing him as the highest-earning baseball player by average annual contract.
James Harden – 2023 earnings of $55.1 million
American basketball star James Harden is one of the NBA’s all-time greatest scorers, and was picked in the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in recognition of his talents. Following a college career with the Arizona State Sun Devils, he first joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2009 NBA draft and now plays with the Philadelphia 76ers. With total 2023 earnings of $55.1 million, he is a part owner of two soccer teams: the Houston Dynamo and the Houston Dash.
Anthony Joshua – 2023 earnings of $53 million
One of the highest-ranking active heavyweight stars, Anthony Joshua is a British boxer who started out as a bricklayer. He holds two unified world heavyweight championships, and he held the national and Commonwealth title from 2015 to 2016. Second only to Canelo Álvarez, Joshua is one of the highest-earning boxers in the world right now, with $53 million in total 2023 earnings including $50 million from boxing.
Jon Rahm – 2023 earnings of $53 million
In 2021, Jon Rahm Rodriguez made history by becoming the first Spanish golfer to win the US Open. Just two years later, he championed in the Masters Tournament. He now lives in Arizona with his wife and two young sons, and enjoyed a salary of $53 million in 2023. His endorsements include Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, Blue Yonder and VistaJet.
Aaron Rodgers – 2023 earnings of $53 million
Hailing from Chico, California, Aaron Rodgers is a star quarterback with the New York Jets. Rodgers has smashed various records in his career and earned $42 million in football in 2023, with a further $11 million from other ventures. Like many of the stars on this list, in his downtime, Rodgers enjoys watching a completely different sport. He has a minority ownership stake in the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team.
Mohamed Salah – 2023 earnings of $53 million
Mohamed ‘Mo’ Salah is so beloved in his home nation of Egypt, he is known as the ‘Fourth Pyramid’. As one of the most famous Arabic footballers of all time, he is also nicknamed the ‘Pride of the Arabs’. He is the captain of the Egyptian national team and plays in the Premier League for Liverpool. His earnings topped out at $53 million in 2023, boosted by endorsements with Adidas, Vodafone and Pepsi.
Erling Haaland – 2023 earnings of $52 million
After winning a world record as a five-year-old for the furthest standing long jump, Norwegian athlete Erling Haaland turned instead to football, playing for the Norwegian national team and Manchester City. He took a €60 million transfer fee when he joined the Premier League team in 2022, and in 2023 he has earned $52 million. Aged only 23, he is one of the youngest sportspeople to earn a spot on this list.
Patrick Reed – 2023 earnings of $52 million
American golfer Patrick Reed has triumphed in nine tournaments on the PGA Tour and became a part of LIV Golf in 2022. He earned a total of $52 million in 2023. However, his successes haven’t come without controversy, as he has become embroiled in several cheating allegation scandals. In response to Reed’s victory in the WGC-Mexico Championship, Golf Channel host David Feherty said, “[This is] proof there is no God.”
Paul George – 2023 earnings of $51.5 million
Known by the nickname ‘PG-13’, Paul George hails from Palmdale, California and plays in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers. His older sisters Teiosha and Portala played college basketball and volleyball, and George followed their footsteps by joining the Fresno State Bulldogs in 2008. He became an NBA star with the Indiana Pacers in 2010, and now has eight NBA All-Star titles. This basketball star earned $51.5 million in 2023.
Kawhi Leonard – 2023 earnings of $50.5 million
Kawhi Leonard is a basketball player with the Los Angeles Clippers, and like his team mate Paul George, he is one of the highest-earning NBA players around today. He has five All-Star titles and five All-NBA Team spots to his name and is considered an exceptionally talented two-way player. His 2023 salary includes $43.3 million from basketball earnings, and $6.5 million from other enterprises.
Bradley Beal – 2023 earnings of $49.8 million
The Missouri-born Bradley Beal represented the USA at the FIBA Under-17 World Championship, and was named Mr. Show-Me Basketball in 2011, an award given to the state’s best high-school player. He currently plays for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA and enjoyed earnings of $49.8 million in 2023.
Derek Carr – 2023 earnings of $48.9 million
Derek Carr comes from a family of NFL stars: his brother David played in the league from 2002 to 2012, and their uncle Lon Boyett played with the Oakland Raiders. Derek Carr was selected by the Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft and is now a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. With 2023 earnings of $48.9 million, Carr holds endorsement deals with Nike, Panini, Haute Living and Anchor.
Orlando Brown Jr. – 2023 earnings of $48.6 million
Following a college football career with the University of Oklahoma, Orlando Brown Jr. joined the Baltimore Ravens in the 2018 NFL Draft’s third round. He is part of another sporting family, as his father Orlando Brown, nicknamed Zeus, likewise has a career with the Ravens. Brown focuses heavily on his sports career rather than endorsements, with the vast majority of his 2023 salary of $48.6 million coming from football alone.
Aaron Donald – 2023 earnings of $48.5 million
When they were small children, Aaron Donald and his brother, Archie, dreamt of earning enough money in sports to help their parents to retire. Archie became an undrafted free agent with the NFL, while Aaron Donald was a college football star at Pittsburgh and then joined the Los Angeles Rams. He is considered to be one of the greatest defensive players around, and enjoyed a salary of $48.5 million in 2023.
Anthony Davis – 2023 earnings of $48 million
Anthony Davis made history as the first basketball player to win an Olympic gold medal, NCAA title, NBA title and FIBA World Cup. Originally drafted into the New Orleans Hornets (now known as the Pelicans) in 2012, he now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and earns $48 million per year from sports and endorsements. He has struck deals with big-name brands such as Red Bull, Nike and ExxonMobil.
