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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Frank Urbina

LeBron James is becoming the highest-paid NBA player ever this season

For his services in the 2020-21 NBA season, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will be paid $39.2 million, making him the sixth-highest-paid player in the league.

Although one could easily argue that James, even on his monster contract, is still underpaid, this season will nonetheless make James the highest-paid player in NBA history at $349.3 million earned in his career.

James is passing both Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, who made $343.9 million and $328.2 million, respectively, on NBA salaries alone.

Through the 2020-21 season, this would be the NBA’s Top 10 highest-paid players ever:

King James would still trail Bryant and Garnett if you adjust for inflation. If we take a look at player career earnings accounting for the current contracts active players are signed to, which would include James and the two-year, $85 million extension he just signed with the Lakers, the list will look far different a few years from now.

Below, you can check out the NBA’s Top 15 players in projected career earnings by the time James’ extension ends in 2022-23.

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