The highest paid athletes in the world come from a variety of countries and sports, according to a ranking by Forbes.
The magazine's list of the world's 100 highest paid athletes in 2017 shows that celebrity athletes earn money through product endorsements and tournament prizes, and donate much of those earnings to charities.
Basketball was well represented with 32 NBA players making the top 100 list, with LeBron James and three other NBA players ranked in the top 10 of highest paid athletes. Major League baseball followed with 22 players represented, while the NFL had 15 athletes on the list.
Some athletes have been on the list in previous, while some are on the list for the first time. One newcomer is NFL quarterback Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, who ranked in sixth place with collective earnings of $50 million.
Forbes also noted that NBA star Stephen Curry rose up 61 spots on the list due to numerous endorsements deals in the U.S. and China.
Earning a total of $3.11 billion over the past year, the top 100 athletes take-homeearnings fell short of last year’s $3.15 billion. The top 100 highest paid athletes earnings were calculated by based on salary, endorsements and prize winnings.
The ranking of salaries and bonuses for all athletes were based on earnings between June 1, 2016, and June 1, 2017.
The following 10 athletes sit atop the Forbes wealthiest athletes list, in ascending order:
10. Lewis Hamilton
The 33-year-old British Formula One driver earned $46 million. Hamilton has endorsement deals totaling $8 milion with L’Oreal, Puma, Bose and Monster Energy. He has the second most Formula One Grand Prix wins.
9. James Harden
With earnings totaling $46,6 million, Harden became the first NBA player to score 2,000 points and added 2,000 assists. The Houston Rocket has $20 million in endorsement deals with Foot Locker, Adidas and Beats Electronics.
8. Stephen Curry
The two-time NBA MVP had earnings totaling $47.3 million. The Golden State Warrior had the NBA’s best-selling jersey in the past two seasons. Curry has earned $35 million in endorsement deals with JP Morgan Chase, Brita and Under Armour.
6. Rory McIlroy (Tie)
The professional golfer from Northern Ireland had $50 million in total earnings. He captured the FedEx Cup and the trophy’s $10 million dollar bonus. Endorsements include Omega, Upper Deck and Nike. In 2015, he became the face of Electronic Arts’ gold video game, replacing Tiger Woods.
6. Andrew Luck (Tie)
The Indianapolis Colts quarterback’s earnings totaled $50 million. While at Stanford, Luck was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy for two consecutive seasons. His $3 million in endorsements include Nike, TD Ameritrade, BodyArmor and DirectTV.
5. Kevin Durant
The NBA star’s total earnings were $60.6 million. Durant has $34 million in endorsement deals with Nike, Beats Electronics, American Family Insurance and Sparkling Ice.
4. Roger Federer
The Swiss tennis player not only earned $64 million in total, but also has $104 million in career prize winnings on the court. Recent endorsement deals include a five-year, $40 million dollar deal with pasta brand Barilla. Long-term endorsements are for Rolex, Wilson Sporting Goods, Mercedes Benz and Moet & Chandon.
3. Lionel Messi
Total earnings for soccer star Messi topped $80 million dollars. His life-long endorsement deal with Adidas totals $27 million dollars. He has been featured four times on the cover of EA Sports worldwide FIFA game. The Argentine soccer player also has endorsement deals with Gatorade and Tata Motors.
2. LeBron James
With $86.2 million in total earnings, the NBA star has earned the top salary in the NBA for the first time in his 14-year career. His endorsements for Nike, Verizon and Coca-Cola have contributed to his endorsement earnings of $55 million dollars. The four-time MVP led his Cleveland Cavalier to a championship title in 2016, giving the city its first franchise and major sports crown in 52 years.
1. Cristiano Rinaldo
FIFA named Rinaldo the best soccer player in the world for the fourth time. His earnings totaled $93 million. His four-year contract extension with Real Madrid will earn him $50 million each year. The Portuguese star signed a lifetime deal with Nike worth $1 billion dollars. His additional endorsements include Tag Heuer and Herbalife. His presence on social media entertains 275 million followers.
