Basketball is one of the highest grossing sports in the United States. According to CNBC, the NBA was expected to generate approximately $10 billion in revenue in the 2021/2022 season. In order to start the show, teams must recruit the best talent coming out of middle school or even high school. By paying players graciously and allowing them to become international icons, the NBA creates a new batch of millionaires each season.
As NBA players have seen their contracts increase over time, it’s only fitting that these young athletes want to indulge themselves with some of the finest things money can buy. From extravagant mansions to icy jewels, these NBA players live the life most people can only dream of.
9 Chris Paul: Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Drafted in 2005 by the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul quickly became an essential player. Voted second most valuable player (MVP) in the 2007/2008 season, Paul then took the Hornets to the playoffs in the 2010/2011 season only to be beaten by the Los Angeles Lakers. After his time with the Hornets, Paul played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns. As well as being an outstanding playmaker, Paul is a classic car enthusiast.
The Monte Carlo is one of the most underrated classic American cars that piston heads would love to own. Dreamworks Motorsports, a Roxboro, NC-based shop, turned a 1977 Monte Carlo into a cool, restomod beast. Paul seemed extremely happy with the result according to a YouTube video from 2012. Dreamworks Motorsports has built cars for hundreds of athletes, including Michael Jordan and Odell Beckham Jr.
8 Derrick RoseBugatti Veyron
Derrick Rose was first drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2008. While with the Bulls, Rose suffered multiple knee injuries that seemed to be signs of a very short NBA career. However, Rose fully recovered and went on to play for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons. He eventually returned to the Knicks in 2021.
The Bugatti Veyron is one of the sickest cars owned by athletes. With a price tag of $1.3 million in 2005 when it was first announced, it was clear that Bugatti had once again offered a hypercar that only Jeff Bezos or the Sackler family could afford. Having earned more than $150 million between his contracts with the Bulls and the Knicks, Rose thought a Veyron would be a good investment.
seven Giannis Antetokounmpo: BMW i8
Nicknamed the “Greek Freak” due to his country of origin and his exceptional basketball skills, Giannis Antetokounmpo made his NBA debut in 2013 with the Milwaukee Bucks. Since Antetokounmpo joined the Bucks, he has won MVP twice, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and MVP All-Star. In 2021, the Greek Freak and his teammates won the championship for the first time in 50 years.
The Greek Freak signed a five-year, $228 million extension with the Bucks in 2021. On top of all the money Antetokounmpo has earned since 2013, it’s only fitting that the 27-year-old decided at some point to sail into something nice. One of the players’ favorite cars is the BMW i8. Despite all its flaws, the i8 remains a stylish and ambitious BMW that connoisseurs appreciate.
6 Ja Morant: Rolls-Royce Dawn
Point Guard Jo Morant was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019. Showing tremendous skills in his first season, Morant logically won the NBA Rookie of the Year title in 2020. In 2022, Morant joined Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in the “multiple 45-point game past the club of 23” when he scored 47 points against the Golden State Warriors. Morant signed a five-year, $193 million extension with the Grizzlies.
Since his NBA debut, Morant has earned just over $27 million. After agreeing to a $193 million rookie extension over five years, it’s fair to say Morant has plenty of cash to secure a Rolls-Royce Dawn. Morant has shown off her dawn on her Instagram account on several occasions. It is one of the most expensive vehicles owned by the Memphis Grizzlies point guard.
5 Kyrie Irving: Lamborghini SV Roadster
Born in Australia, Kyrie Irving began his career alongside LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers between 2014 and 2017. The Cavaliers closed the 2015/2016 season with a league victory. Everything was looking good for Irving who decided to move to the Boston Celtics. Since Irving left the Cavaliers, his career has been plagued with multiple injuries and public controversy.
Irving’s antics over the vaccine mandate crippled the Net and left a sour taste in the mouths of Nets owners. Trying to exercise his $37 million player option on his contract with the Nets, Irving may have to give up his Lamborghini SV Roadster as no team has expressed interest. Also, despite Irving’s outstanding performance on the field before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nets could trade him mid-season.
4 Kawhi Leonard: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
When Kawhi Leonard sent the Philadelphia 76ers home with an epic buzzer beater in Game 7 in 2019, the city of Toronto has gone absolutely crazy. It wasn’t Leonard’s first NBA title. Leonard won his first title with the San Antonio Spurs. While playing with such accomplished players as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, Leonard won Defensive Player of the Year. Now playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, Leonard is still trying to lead his team to victory.
Leonard used to drive a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe LS when he was still in high school. He kept the truck even after signing a $94 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs. After saving a huge amount of money, Leonard treated himself to a nicer SUV. His new toy, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, has been preserved in its original condition. Leonard, as most basketball fans know, isn’t the kind of player who enjoys being in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
3 Stephen Curry: Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Son of legendary NBA player Dell Curry, Stephen Curry has spent his entire life near a basketball court. Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2009, Curry brought a new style to the NBA. Three-point shots were now the norm. Since his debut, Curry has won four championships and won MVP twice. After more than a decade with the Warriors, it’s fair to assume Curry will stay in the Bay Area if all else stays the same.
Stephen Curry was involved in a multi-vehicle car accident in 2018. His Porsche Panamera suffered, but Curry emerged from the crash unscathed. Luckily it was Curry’s Panamera and not his monstrous 911 GT3RS. Based on Curry’s basketball and endorsement earnings, the Warriors superstar can easily afford a $188,500 Porsche while supporting his three children.
2 LaMelo Ball: Lamborghini Urus
The Ball family generated a lot of buzz a few years ago on and off the court. LaVar Ball, namely the father of LaMelo Ball, was promoting the Big Baller brand, while his sons were actively working towards making it to the NBA. LaMelo Ball, 20, was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2020. Since his NBA debut, Ball has shown tremendous improvement which earned him NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021.
LaMelo Ball’s Car Collection is brutally insane. What really strikes the eye is the Widebody Urus tennis ball. Since the Ball family is known for being flashy and active on all social media platforms, LaMelo went ahead with a mean Urus who is definitely not one to blend in with traffic. At least LaMelo’s Urus is nowhere as ugly as Kanye West’s custom Urus.
1 James Harden: Rolls-Royce Wraith
Drafted in 2009 by the Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden began his career with several controversial but talented players such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. While at the Thunder, Harden and his teammates went to the playoffs every season only to be defeated. In 2012, Harden joined the Houston Rockets where he would earn his MVP title in 2018. After a brief stint with the Brooklyn Nets, Harden went on to play for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harden is not suffering financially. After signing a thirteen-year, $200 million deal with Adidas in 2015 and a four-year, $171 million extension with the 76ers, Harden has been working on his car collection as normal. His crown jewel, a two-tone Rolls-Royce Wraith, didn’t come with spare wheels or anything else. Bought in the days of Houston, the Wraith was given a red and black paint job to honor its former team, the Rockets.
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