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How Much Does Nikola Jokic Make? Comparing His NBA Salary to Curry, LeBron, Antetokounmpo
Edwin Kiplagat
updated at June 15, 2023 at 8:55 AM
- The Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic is arguably the best player in the NBA presently
- After winning the 2023 NBA title and Finals MVP, he has won almost everything in the league
- Sports Brief looks at his salary compared to Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo
After months of fierce battles in the playoffs, the 2022/23 NBA season drew to a close earlier this week with Nikola Jokic and Denver Nuggets lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy - their first in 47 years.
Jokic took home the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy after becoming the first player in league history to lead the playoffs in total points, rebounds, and assists.
Source: Getty Images
The Serbian big man has come a long way. He was drafted 41st overall in the 2014 NBA Draft and has made everyone pay for not drafting him higher. He was the lowest draft pick to win the Finals MVP, adding another excellent milestone to his career.
He has dominated the NBA for the last few seasons, which means he is paid relatively well for his services. In 2022, he signed a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension, the richest deal in NBA history, per the Athletic.
Stephen Curry and LeBron James have been the face of the NBA for the last few seasons following their NBA Final battles. So how do their salaries compare to Jokic, arguably the best player in the world?
Jokic's contract breakdown
The extension he signed last June will kick in during the 2023/24 season. Here's a breakdown of his salary, according to Sportrac.
Season | Nikola Jokic's salary |
2022/23 | $32,478,838 |
2023/24 | $46,900,000 |
2024/25 | $50,652,000 |
2025/26 | $54,404,000 |
2026/27 | $58,156,000 |
2027/28 | $61,908,000 |
Stephen Curry was the highest-paid player in the 2022/23 season. The Golden State Warriors superstar made $48,070,014. Only the Warriors star will be paid more than the Nuggets center, per Sporting News.
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Jokic is 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 2x MVP, and now the Finals MVP - the Serbian fully deserves to be paid that amount.
Comparing Jokic, Curry, LeBron, Antetokounmpo
Jokic, Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and LeBron James are the last four NBA Finals MVPs and are players most would call superstars.
Coincidentally, the four are among the best-paid NBA players. Here is how their salaries compare:
Season | Jokic's salary | Curry's salary | LeBron's salary | Giannis' salary |
2023/24 | $46,900,000 | $51,915,615 | $46,900,000 | $45,640,084 |
2024/25 | $50,652,000 | $55,761,216 | $50,652,000 (Player option) | $48,787,676 |
2025/26 | $54,404,000 | $59,606,817 | - | $51,935,268 (Player Option) |
2026/27 | $58,156,000 | UFA | - | UFA |
2027/28 | $61,908,000 | - | - | - |
*UFA - Unrestricted Free Agent.
Antetokounmpo signed a five-year, $228 million supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020. The 2021 NBA champion is eligible to sign another extension this summer, per Sporting News.
James hinted at retirement after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs, per the Athletic, so the next few months will be interesting.
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Young Jokic wore Nuggets sweatshirt
Sports Brief earlier reported on a picture of a 5-year-old Jokic wearing a retro Nuggets sweatshirt in Sombor, Serbia, which has gained attention on social media.
According to his agent, Miško Ražnatović, the chances of someone in the European country wearing Nuggets merchandise in the early 2000s were very low.
“Chances of that same kid growing up to play basketball and achieve his career high, win two MVP titles and sign a historic agreement with the same club whose sweatshirt he wore at age five, were zero," Ražnatović said.
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