Without golf's return to the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, LeBron James would be the highest-paid athlete competing in Paris this summer. But the Team USA star, who earned $127.7 million over the past 12 months, is outpaced by golfer Jon Rahm$210 million earned, according to Sportico.
The Lakers player is therefore second in a ranking dominated by his NBA colleagues. Because out of the twenty highest paid athletes of the 2024 Olympic Games – who have earned at least 35 million greenbacks – we find thirteen NBA players!
A domination of basketball and the Major League is hardly surprising if we go back to the annual Forbes ranking, published last May. The rest of this Olympic ranking is made up of golfers (five in total) and two tennis players (Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, 13th and 18th).
So, LeBron James is ahead Stephen Curry (101.9 million), Giannis Antetokounmpo (100.8) and Kevin Durant (89.7). That's four NBA champions and MVPs in the Top 5.
Between 8th and 11th place, we find Joel Embiid ($57.7 million), Nikola Jokic (54.7), Devin Booker (48.1) and Anthony Davis (46.7). Then Jayson Tatum in 14th position (43.5) ahead Rudy Gobert – French best placed – and its 42.7 million. Followed Jamal Murray And Jrue Holiday in 16th and 17th places. Finally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranks 20th with 36 million.
The first woman, Coco Gauff, flag bearer of the United States with LeBron James, is therefore not in this Top 20, with her 25.6 million dollars earned between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
