NBA superstar Kevin Durant, one of the highest earning basketball players of all time, has purchased a minority stake in football club Paris Saint-Germain.
Durant, 36, has signed a partnership with Qatar Sports Investments, the club’s majority owners, to explore a wide range of commercial, investment and content production opportunities.
He joins a growing list of American sports stars venturing into football, as perhaps the greatest NFL player of all time, Tom Brady, is a minority owner of English Championship club Birmingham City, while the likes of J.J. Watt, LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes have all invested in clubs dear to their hearts.
But as Durant teams up with one of the richest organisations in professional sports – QSI have a net worth of roughly $450bn – where does he stand amongst the highest earning athletes on the planet when off-field earnings are added to salaries?
Highest earning athletes in 2025 – total earnings (salary/wages + off field earnings)
10.
Kevin Durant
Basketball
$101.4m
9.
Shohei Ohtani
Baseball
$102.5m
8.
Karim Benzema
Football
$104m
7.
Juan Soto
Baseball
$114m
6.
LeBron James
Basketball
$133.8m
5.
Lionel Messi
Football
$135m
4.
Dak Prescott
American Football
$137m
3.
Tyson Fury
Boxing
$146m
2.
Stephen Curry
Basketball
$156m
1.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Football
$275m
10 Kevin Durant – $101.4m
Durant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, known primarily for his offensive abilities, where his 6 foot 10 frame and effortless jump shot make him a nightmare to defend.
A two-time NBA champion and one-time NBA MVP, his future is one of the biggest talking points of the upcoming off-season, with one-year remaining on his contract worth over $54m.
9 Shohei Ohtani – $102.5m
At 30 years old Ohtani is widely considered the best player in Major League Baseball due to his ability to both pitch and hit to an extremely high level.
The Japanese superstar signed a 10 year, $700m contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.
8 Karim Benzema – $104m
Benzema won the UEFA Champions League five times during his time with Real Madrid, but has signed the largest contract of his career with his current club, Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad.
The Frenchman, who has scored 37 goals in 97 appearances for his country and won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, earns over £800,000-a-week in Saudi Arabia, which is about $57m-a-year.
7 Juan Soto – $114m
Soto is a Dominican baseball player for the New York Mets, making the controversial switch from the New York Yankees in 2025.
He will earn a whopping $765m over the course of his 15-year contract with the Mets, but falls behind the top of the list due to lower off-field earnings.
6 LeBron James – $133.8m
Regarded as one of the two greatest basketball players of all time along with Michael Jordan, James takes a huge amount of his earnings from his sponsorship deal with Nike.
On the court, the NBA legend is owed over $50m by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025-26.
5 Lionel Messi – $135m
Perhaps the greatest footballer of all time, Messi opted for Major League Soccer in the USA over the riches of the Saudi Pro League, but still rakes in $135m courtesy of his contract with Inter Miami and sponsorship deals with companies such as Adidas.
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ByBarney LaneDec 26, 2024 4 Dak Prescott – $137m
Prescott signed the largest contract in American Football history in 2024, penning a four-year extension with the Dallas Cowboys making him the first NFL player to cross the $60m-a-year barrier.
The 31 year-old was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 despite being drafted in the fourth round with the 135th pick.
3 Tyson Fury – $146m
Fury, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, took home $146m this year after his unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.
2 Stephen Curry – $156m
Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history, has won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and been crowned the league’s MVP on two occasions.
He is owed over $60m by the Warriors next season and rakes in millions through his commercial deals with the likes of Under Armour, Callaway and Subway.
1 Cristiano Ronaldo – $275m
A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo’s current contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr is worth over £3m-a-week or around $4.5m, while he also earns an additional $50m in sponsor deals with the likes of Nike and Binance.