Not LeBron James or Stephen Curry: The NBA player earning the most per game in history

The NBA is home to some of the best basketball talent in the world, with stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Ben Simmons, and Cade Cunningham lighting up the league. While the level of talent is undeniable, it’s interesting to note that some of the league’s top earners aren’t necessarily its historic players.

This is surprising, given their reputation, playing style, leadership, and overall impact on the game. What’s even more surprising is that the player who earns the most per game in NBA history plays for one of the most inconsistent teams in recent seasons.

As the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Zion Williamson has surpassed both LeBron James and Curry in per-game earnings. With just four seasons under his belt, Williamson is already averaging an impressive $545,023 per game played in NBA history.

When comparing this to the earnings of LeBron and Curry, both are significantly further down the list. For instance, Curry doesn’t even crack the top 10, and Kevin Durant isn’t much higher. LeBron, meanwhile, is on the verge of falling out of the top 30 players in terms of per-game earnings in league history.

Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

The top 5 players who earn the most per game in NBA history

While Williamson tops the list of NBA players with the highest earnings per game, there are a few other names that may surprise fans, though they aren’t as historically significant as some others. Notably, the top 5 list doesn’t include high-profile stars like Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler, or James Harden. Instead, it features players from teams that are currently struggling in the regular season.

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Here are the top 5 earners per game:

1. Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans): $545,023
2. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers): $521,246
3. Ben Simmons (Los Angeles Clippers): $500,894
4. Kristaps Porzingis (Boston Celtics): $405,849
5. John Wall (Washington Wizards legend): $404,358

Rounding out the top 10 are some familiar faces:

6. Kawhi Leonard: $384,177
7. Bradley Beal: $378,878
8. Anthony Davis: $369,539
9. Kyrie Irving: $360,104
10. Brandon Ingram: $359,835

Where do LeBron and Curry rank?

While several other superstar names appear in the top 10, Stephen Curry narrowly missed the cut, coming in at 11th with $356,250 per game. LeBron James, on the other hand, is far from the top, sitting at 29th with $288,919 per game.

Here are some other notable players on the list:

12. Kevin Durant: $356,012
13. Paul George: $347,950
14. Jimmy Butler: $321,360
15. Luka Dončić: $316,740
16. Giannis Antetokounmpo: $308,981