Home Basketball ASTONISHING EXPECTATION: Nikola Jokic, despite having the NBA’s largest contract, reportedly expects to receive a significant financial boost of around $88 million from LeBron James’ endorsement deals

ASTONISHING EXPECTATION: Nikola Jokic, despite having the NBA’s largest contract, reportedly expects to receive a significant financial boost of around $88 million from LeBron James’ endorsement deals

Basketball — 05/06/2024

Nikola Jokic, a highly regarded player in today’s NBA, has established himself as a versatile center and consistently proven his value on the court. Consequently, he secured one of the most substantial contracts in the league last year, signing a staggering $270,000,000 deal with the Denver Nuggets. 

However, despite the immense size of his contract, his endorsement earnings tell a different story. As recently disclosed by Sportico in 2022, there exists a significant $88,000,000 gap between Jokic and LeBron James, widely known as “The King,” in terms of endorsement earnings.Nikola Jokic helped the Nuggets to NBA history. Now he just wants to go home : NPR

Jokic inked his lucrative five-year contract extension before the commencement of the 2022-2023 season, a deal that was undoubtedly well-deserved. The Nuggets rewarded him with the contract following two consecutive seasons where he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP). Given how the 2022-2023 season concluded, it is clear that the Nuggets have no regrets about their investment.

While Jokic has unquestionably been one of the NBA’s premier players during the past three seasons, his endorsement earnings do not match the magnitude of his basketball salary. As of 2022, Jokic has amassed a total of $2,000,000 from endorsements. Though a substantial sum, it pales in comparison to the incredible $90,000,000 in endorsement earnings achieved by four-time MVP LeBron James, creating a remarkable $88,000,000 disparity between the two players.

Furthermore, other MVP-caliber players in the league have also enjoyed significant financial gains from endorsements. In the previous year, Kevin Durant earned $48 million, Stephen Curry earned $45 million, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo earned $36 million each, Russell Westbrook earned $30 million, Derrick Rose earned $11 million, and Joel Embiid earned $6 million.Despite Inking Largest NBA Contract at $270 Million, Nikola Jokic Sees an $88,000,000 Gulf From LeBron James in Endorsements

It’s evident that Nikola Jokic has not received significant endorsement opportunities from prominent brands. However, now that he has secured an NBA Championship, there is no logical reason why he shouldn’t be earning exorbitant sums of endorsement money like other former MVPs.

Many individuals, including former NBA superstar Gilbert Arenas, believe that Jokic is severely underrated. Arenas, a devoted fan of Jokic, feels that the 2023 NBA Champion receives minimal recognition compared to players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who are highly regarded in the league.

So, what’s the reason behind this perception? According to Arenas, it boils down to the notion that Jokic’s style of play isn’t captivating enough for NBA consumers.