Stephen Curry Net Worth in 2016 vs. 2015: Warriors Star's $23.6M Earnings No Match With LeBron James' – 2017 Free Agency to Give 2-Time NBA MVP a Chance to Catch Up?
Stephen Curry is unquestionably one of the best NBA players of this generation but when it comes to earnings, the two-time MVP is far from becoming one of the highest-paid NBA players. The 28-year-old super shooter of the Golden State Warriors only earned $23.6 million this year despite achieving massive NBA stardom status.
Stephen Curry's Earnings in 2016 vs. 2015
Just like last year, Stephen Curry failed again to land a spot on Forbes' list of "The World's Highest-Paid Celebrities." However, the NBA superstar made a debut on the list of "The World's Highest-Paid Athletes," ranking No. 69 with earnings of $11.6 million from Golden State Warriors and $12 million from endorsement deals.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Curry almost doubled his earnings from last year's income, which was less than $14 million. Although the star player did not appear on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes in 2015, Celebrity Net Worth estimated that Curry earned $14 million while The Richest projected that he made $12 million.
Curry's improved earnings in 2016 was triggered by his endorsement deals in the past 12 months, which include Chase, Degree, JBL, Kaiser Permanente, MuscleMilk, Fanatics and Brita. His Under Armour signature shoes were also a huge hit.
Is Stephen Curry Underpaid?
Although Stephen Curry managed to improve his earnings, some analysts said that two-time NBA MVP is underpaid for his superstar status. In fact, according to Spotrac, Curry is making less money from the Golden State Warriors compared to his teammates Klay Thompson ($15.5 million), Draymond Green ($15.33 million) and Andre Iguodala ($11.13 million). This is mainly because of the underwhelming 4-year deal worth $44 million he signed in 2012, which gave him an annual income of only $11 million.
Compared to other famous NBA players, Curry appeared to be left behind with his $23.6 million earnings this year. Christian Post reported earlier that LeBron James, Curry's closest rival in the court, is the highest-paid NBA player with $77 million. Other NBA stars who earned more than Curry include Kevin Durant ($56 million), Derrick Rose ($34 million), James Harden ($33 million), Dwyane Wade ($32 M) and Carmelo Anthony ($31 M).
2017 Free Agency May Give Stephen Curry His Biggest Salary
Stephen Curry has one more season with Golden State Warriors. This means that in 2017, Curry will become an unrestricted free agent and analysts were already speculating that the two-time NBA MVP will get the biggest salary of his career.
According to Arash Markazi of ESPN, Curry is among the top NBA players whose salary is expected to multiply in 2017 because of his superstar status. "In a free market, irreplaceable players' salaries would skyrocket in value," he stated.
