Top 20 highest paid Olympians at Paris 2024
When the Olympics first began, athletes were amateurs and competition was vastly different to the way it is in the modern era.
Back in 1896, no one would have believed athletes who would compete in Paris 2024, would be coming from sports where they made over $45 million in a year alone.
Here are the top 10 highest paid athletes who will be competing at Paris 2024.
Who is the highest paid?
And more importantly, will they be able to achieve the most priceless win of all and nab a gold medal?
The breakdowns of earnings are based on each athlete’s yearly earnings, which includes how much they make on field, added in with how much they make via endorsements, such as personal sponsorships.
20. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Canada’s finest, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes a whopping $36 million yearly, through his major role in the NBA and sponsorships, playing for OKC Thunder.
He takes on Paris 2024 in search of gold against his NBA teammates, as the USA remain strong favourites to snatch gold.
But he comes from a strong history at the world’s biggest competition.
His mother, Charmaine Gilgeous, is a former track athlete, who competed in the women’s 400 metres for Antigua and Barbuda at the 1992 Olympic Games.
19. Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele makes an amazing $36.2 million yearly and already has a gold medal to his name.
On debut at the Olympic Games, at Tokyo 2020, Schauffele took the competition by storm and brought home gold in emotional scenes.
He fulfilled a dream, dedicating it to his father, Stefan Schauffele, who was a decathlete, but due to a car accident, never got to compete at the Olympic Games.
“I really wanted to win for my dad,” he said to the BBC at Tokyo 2020.
“I am sure he is crying somewhere right now. I kind of wanted this one more than any other.”
18. Novak Djokovic
When you hear the name Novak Djokovic, you instantly think of greatness.
It’s pretty easy to connect those dots, considering the Serbian has 24 grand slam titles to his name, as well as a whopping annual income of $38.7 million, which includes his endorsements off the court.
Djokovic added the ultra rare “golden slam” to his list of achievements by beating Carlos Alcaraz to the gold medal in Paris.
Previously when it came to the Olympic Games, Djokovic hadn’t had as much success.
He had just one bonze medal to his name after finishing third at Beijing 2008. Not anymore!
17. Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday is in Paris for his second Olympic Games, after his debut for Team USA in the basketball back in 2021.
With a yearly total income of $41.4 million, his role with the Boston Celtics, which saw him part of their championship win in 2024, makes him a two-time winner.
But now, it’s time to strive for another gold medal to take home.
16. Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray is a star for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA, but will look to shine for Canada at Paris 2024.
He’ll have to face up against some of his American teammates and opponents, which won’t be new.
What will be new, though, is his hunt for a gold medal. While Murray makes a whopping $42.4 million each year, an Olympic medal may be even more priceless.
15. Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert, who is a star in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves, returns to his birth country, France, for Paris 2024.
Making an astounding $42.7 million yearly, Gobert will have just one thing on his mind, a gold medal.
Coming runners up to team USA in Tokyo 2020’s basketball competition, Gobert already has a silver medal, but is keen to go one step further to defeat his NBA rivals and teammates.
14. Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is still on top of the world, after he led his Boston Celtics to become NBA champions in June of 2024, defeating the Mavericks in special fashion.
He also sits pretty off the court, with a yearly income of $43.5 million.
Now, his focus turns to backing up his performance with Team USA in the basketball, after their gold medal performance at Tokyo 2020.
13. Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz sits pretty with his $45 million that he earns yearly, but he’s now searching for something even more meaningful at Paris 2024.
That would be a gold medal, of course, in Olympic Games debut. He unfortunately lost the gold medal match to Novak Djokovic on Monday.
The four-time grand slam champion already seems to have it all going, so a medal would only take his stardom to even greater heights.
In exciting Paris 2024 news, the 21-year-old steps out next to tennis legend Rafael Nadal for the men’s doubles tournament, as the pair represent Spain in the chase for golden glory.
12. Viktor Hovland
Norway’s Viktor Hovland may not have made his mark at Tokyo 2020, coming in equal 14th in the men’s singles golf, but Paris 2024 tells a different story.
With his yearly earnings reaching $45.9 million, the next step is a search for gold.
Hovland bombed out of the Games to finish 30th overall.
11. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis makes a whopping $46.7 million each year, rolling in as yet another USA basketball prodigy that he truly achieved it all on the Olympic stage.
His one and only gold medal came at London 2012 with team USA.
Now, at 31-years-old, the veteran has a chance to show that he’s still got what it tales to contribute to his side’s quest for yet another gold medal.
10. Devin Booker
You’ll start to see a trend emerging very quickly here, with NBA basketballers dominating in the top 10.
Booker makes a whopping $48.1 million AUD per season with the Phoenix Suns.
All that glitters is gold for Booker, who on debut for team USA in the baskteball at Tokyo 2020, won gold.
He is hungry once again, as team USA boasts the most talented, and richest players of the Olympic Games.
9. Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic competes for Serbia, which means facing up against the might of the American stars he has already had plenty of success taking down at NBA level.
Jokic does not have a gold medal to add to his resume, or any medal, but he leads a strong team capable of winning a medal.
Earning a massive $54.7 million yearly, Jokic will still be hungry for a gold medal, to add to his plethora of NBA accolades, including the league’s most valuable player in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
8. Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid, another NBA star, from the Philadelphia 76ers, made his Olympic Games debut at Paris for America.
While his team is full of gold medallists, Emiid has yet to taste likely glory, but has a bank balance to rival the biggest of their superstars.
He makes an impressive $57.7 million yearly.
7. Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler makes a massive $62.6 million each year.
While the world No.1 golfer is far from amateur, it will be his first time competing at the Olympic Games, after the sport of golf was reintroduced at Rio 2016.
It then ended a 112-year hiatus away from the Olympic Games, allowing athletes like Scheffler the chance to represent their country away from the big dollars involved in golf.
Scheffler has won 12 PGA Tour tournaments, two Major Championships and two Player Championships, but a gold medal will be the only thing he cares about in August.
On Monday morning he ran over the top of the Olympic field to claim the gold medal.
6. Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, is in Paris for his second Olympic Games.
The world No.3 missed out on a huge chance at Tokyo 2020 to secure a bronze medal.
He lost in a seven-man playoff for that medal. On Monday morning he finished fifth to narrowly miss a medal in Paris.
However, with $77.9 million as his yearly income, McIlroy’s bank balance makes a pretty handy consolation prize.
5. Kevin Durant
Making a whopping $89.7 million per year, the championship winning NBA star will be on the hunt for his fourth Olympic gold medal to add to his already impressive tally.
Can the 35-year-old veteran make his mark on Paris 2024?
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, will star for team Greece in the basketball, as their highest paid athlete.
He makes an insane $100.8 million each year alone, but his endorsements in recent years have helped bolster his on court earnings.
With deals connected to Pepsi and plans to release a sixth sneaker in 2024, Antetokounmpo will continue his rise.
3. Steph Curry
Steph Curry is one of many elite American athletes who is in Paris in search of another basketball accolade.
He makes an insane $101.9 million yearly, with nearly half of it made off court in his current agreements.
Curry is still missing one thing from his impressive resume, however, an Olympic gold medal.
He’s a key part of Team USA in Paris and a big chance of doing just that.
2. LeBron James
It comes as no surpise that one of the greatest basketballers of the modern era comes in as one of the top paid athletes competing at Paris 2024.
LeBron James is the senior leader of Team USA, almost certainly for the final time at an Olympic Games.
He makes a whopping $128 million each year.
With four NBA titles and the record for most points scored in NBA history, James is hungrier than ever to continue to stake his claim as one of the greatest – and richest – to ever do it.
1. Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm sits pretty as the highest paid athlete competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The star American golfer makes a whopping $190 million on the course each year, adding a casual $20 million off it.
It takes him to a grand total of $210 million per year.
On top of that, Rahm has a 25 per cent ownership stake in the LIV Golf competition. His sign-on bonus last year was reported to be $900m AUD.
It is safe to say the world’s No.2 ranked male golfer is pretty comfortable!
Unfortunately he blew a four-shot lead at Le Golf Nationale to miss a medal.
Source: nine.com.au
