Who are the Richest Athletes?
It's no secret that professional athletes can make a pretty penny. But just how much money do the richest athletes in sports make?
This is a list of the world's richest athletes and their respective net worths, and the numbers are eye-popping. The top 5 athletes on the list are all household names and are considered some of the best to ever play their respective sports.
So, who are the richest athletes in sports? Here's a look at the top 5, according to Forbes:
1. Michael Jordan - $1.9 billion
Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. He played for the Chicago Bulls for most of his career as a 6-time NBA champion and 6-time MVP, a 14-time All-Star, and a 10-time scoring leader.
Most of MJ's money came from sources other than basketball because he "only" made roughly $90 million in salary throughout his NBA career. After retirement, Jordan became a successful businessman, most notably with his ownership stake in the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. He also has lucrative endorsement deals with brands like Gatorade, Hanes, and Nike, of which he shares ownership of the Jordan shoe line. Additionally, Jordan had the lead role in the well-known film Space Jam.
2. Tiger Woods - $1 billion
Tiger Woods is one of the most successful golfers of all time. He has won 14 major championships and has been ranked the world's No. 1 golfer for a record-breaking 683 weeks. He received slightly more for his athletic success than Jordan, earning over $110 million from his golf tournament winnings.
Woods has endorsement deals with some of the biggest brands in golf, including Nike, Titleist, and Bridgestone. Additionally, Woods has a proprietary Gatorade drink called "Gatorade Tiger" that will pay him $100 million over the course of five years. Tiger also has real estate worth tens of millions of dollars. He also owns a golf course design business and a luxury yacht company.
3. LeBron James - $1 billion
LeBron James is one of the most popular and successful basketball players. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he spent most of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron has won two Olympic gold medals, three All-Star MVP awards, four NBA MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP awards, and four NBA MVP honors.
Tiger Woods and LeBron are the only athletes to achieve this status while actively participating in their sport, whereas Michael Jordan did so many years after his playing days. LeBron has made over $428 million in salary, which is significantly more than Jordan, thanks to the explosive growth of the NBA.
James has numerous endorsement deals, including with Nike, Coca-Cola, and Beats by Dre. He also has his own production company, Springhill Entertainment, and a partnership with Walmart. LeBron’s SpringHill Company, which includes a marketing agency and an entertainment company, adds over $300 million to his net worth.
4. Roger Federer - $700 million
Roger Federer is widely considered the greatest tennis player of all time. He has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of any male player in history, through which he has made close to $130 million from his performance.
Federer has endorsement deals with some of the biggest brands in tennis, including Rolex, Nike, and Wilson. He also has his own line of luxury watches and a clothing line with Uniqlo.
Lastly, Federer is a current global ambassador and a stakeholder in the Swiss business On-Cloud. Roger only owns 3% of the company, but it is worth over $10 billion; therefore, he effectively owns close to $300 million from On-Cloud. Federer announced his retirement from competitive athletics on September 15, 2022, making him the most recent athlete on this list to do so.
5. Magic Johnson - $600 million
Magic Johnson is a retired NBA player and a successful businessman. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers for his entire career, winning 5 NBA championships. After retirement, Johnson became a successful entrepreneur, notably with his ownership stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also has numerous business ventures, including a partnership with Starbucks.
Magic's career earnings totaled only $18 million since he spent most of his playing years in the 1980s, a long time before the NBA's expansion. Most of his riches come from his company Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has partnerships with industry titans like Sony Pictures and Starbucks.
Conclusion
We've done the math and are presenting the Top 5 Richest Athletes on the planet right now. Many other people started out in sports and went on to become wealthy. However, the athletes on our list are either still active competitors or successful businesspeople who spent many years as global icons.