A few of you might be sufficiently old to recollect Josh Childress signing with Olympiacos and the scare that ensued about NBA groups doubtlessly dropping expertise to deep-pocketed European golf equipment. It could sound like that was a zillion years in the past now, however it was really not even twenty years in the past.
It occurred in the summertime of 2008, when Childress, who had averaged 11.8 factors and 4.9 rebounds the season prior for Atlanta, selected to signal with Olympiacos on a three-year deal value as much as $20 million. In hindsight, it is sensible that individuals on the time believed this might result in the NBA dropping coveted expertise to large European golf equipment, contemplating the truth that Childress made that free-agent determination as a 25-year-old in his prime.
After all, Childress’ determination finally didn’t result in some enormous exodus of NBA expertise to Europe.
And now, it appears practically unattainable {that a} participant coveted by NBA groups will select to register Europe ever once more, at the least not purely for monetary causes. Nikola Mirotic, a stable NBA participant within the ’10s, did select to proceed his enjoying profession in Europe as a 27-year-old in the summertime of 2019, however that had so much to do with Mirotic eager to play nearer to dwelling, not as a result of a European crew was providing him an enormous quantity extra money than an NBA crew.
The hole has widened in an enormous means between Europe and the NBA salary-wise, with fringe-y NBA gamers making Euroleague star cash now.
And when discussing NBA famous person salaries? Effectively, these guys are just about incomes in a single season what a complete Euroleague crew’s wage price range is total.
Beneath, take a look at how NBA star salaries examine to a few of the budgets of Euroleague groups (source: BasketNews).
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Actual Madrid price range: $51.29 million
Kevin Durant wage: $51.18 million
Boasting two of the ten highest-paid gamers in Euroleague in Mario Hezonja and Edy Tavares, according to BasketNews, Actual Madrid’s total price range is only a contact over that of what Kevin Durant earned in 2024-25. That’s regardless of Actual having an elite roster by European basketball requirements.
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EA7 Milan price range: $44.45 million
Rudy Gobert wage: $43.83 million
The aforementioned Mirotic now performs his membership basketball in Milan, and is the crew’s highest-paid participant, and among the many Euroleague’s Prime 10 in wage. Milan as an entire, nonetheless, dishes out much less in wage than what Rudy Gobert simply earned for Minnesota in ’25.
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Panathinaikos price range: $42.17 million
Anthony Edwards wage: $42.18 million
Greek membership Panathinaikos boasts one comparatively recognized former NBA identify, Kendrick Nunn, who was a stable participant for a couple of seasons in Miami and with the Lakers. Additionally they have Kostas Sloukas, a Prime 5 participant in Euroleague in wage. And even then, their total price range is value lower than Anthony Edwards’ 2024-25 wage.
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Olympiacos price range: $42.17 million
Anthony Edwards wage: $42.18 million
2023 Euroleague MVP Sasha Vezenkov performed 48 video games with the Sacramento Kings in 2023-24 earlier than principally forcing his means again to Europe. He’s now Euroleague’s highest-paid participant as a member of Olympiacos. Even then, Olympiacos’ price range can also be lower than Edwards’.
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Anadolu Efes price range: $39.32 million
Ben Simmons wage: $40.34 million
Boasting only one Prime 10 participant in Euroleague wage this season (Darius Thompson), Anadolu Efes’ total crew price range is over $1 million lower than what Ben Simmons simply earned in 2024-25. Simmons averaged 5.0 factors and 5.6 assists in 2024-25, for what it’s value.
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Fenerbahce price range: $38.18 million
Zion Williamson wage: $36.73 million
Newly minted Euroleague champions Fenerbahce boast a wage price range of roughly $38.2 million. Led by former Wisconsin star Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce gained the Euroleague remaining over Monaco 81-70 simply this previous weekend. They usually achieved that with a price range simply over $1 million increased than what former No. 1 decide Zion Williamson earned in 2024-25, when he appeared in 30 video games for New Orleans.
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Bayern price range: $37.61 million
Zion Williamson wage: $36.73 million
One other crew in Europe with deeper pockets, Bayern Munich had a wage price range of $37.61 million in 2024-25, roughly $120,000 over what Williamson simply earned in ’25 to seem in 30 video games for New Orleans. Bayern’s backcourt this season featured two of the very best American school guards in latest reminiscence, Shabazz Napier and Carsen Edwards.
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Barcelona price range: $36.47 million
OG Anunoby wage: $36.64 million
With two gamers – Kevin Punter and one-time NBA starter Willy Hernangomez – within the Euroleague’s Prime 10 in wage, Barça has an total price range beneath what OG Anunoby earned in 2024-25 with the New York Knicks. Cash effectively spent for the Knicks, who loved a wholesome, sturdy two-way marketing campaign by Anunoby.
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AS Monaco price range: $33.51 million
James Harden wage: $33.65 million
The crew that Fenerbahce defeated within the Euroleague championship, Monaco, has a roster that includes some gamers with an NBA historical past, most notably high-scoring guard Mike James, who’s already carried out sufficient to be thought-about one of the top Euroleague players in history. Monaco additionally boasts the likes of Daniel Theis and Nick Calathes, two different former NBA gamers. Even then, the crew’s price range is lower than James Harden’s wage in 2024-25.
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Virtus price range: $28.49 million
Tyler Herro wage: $29.00 million
Ever marvel what occurred to Marco Bellinelli and Justin Vacation? Effectively, they play for Virtus Bologna in Italy now. Virtus Bologna has a price range underneath Tyler Herro‘s wage in 2024-25.
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Partizan price range: $26.21 million
Andrew Wiggins wage: $26.28 million
The crew the place Frank Ntilikina and Aleksej Pokuševski
now reside, Partizan Belgrade boasts an total wage price range underneath than Andrew Wiggins’ in 2024-25.
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Crvena Zvezda price range: $25.07 million
Jonathan Isaac wage: $25.00 million
A membership in Serbia with not as deep pockets as a lot of its Euroleague counterparts, Crvena Zvezda has an total price range lower than Jonathan Isaac’s wage for 2024-25. That claims extra concerning the Orlando Magic than something, nonetheless, as Orlando simply paid Isaac $25 million to common 5.4 factors and 4.4 rebounds over 71 appearances. Crimson Star does have some enjoyable names on its roster for the time being, together with Isaiah Canaan and Milos Teodosic.
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Maccabi price range: $21.65 million
De’Andre Hunter wage: $21.70 million
Maccabi Tel Aviv doesn’t have an enormous variety of tremendous well-known names for the time being, so far as former NBAers go, at the least. The membership is the place former excessive second-round decide Rokas Jokubaitis performs, although. Jokubaitis was the thirty fourth total decide within the 2021 draft by the Thunder. As an entire, the crew’s price range is lower than De’Andre Hunter’s was this season.
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Paris price range: $21.54 million
Lonzo Ball wage: $21.40 million
Boasting a roster with nary a former NBA identify, Paris Basketball nonetheless managed to have a wage price range of $21.54 million, simply north of what Lonzo Ball earned in 2024-25.
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Zalgiris price range: $20.17 million
Marcus Sensible wage: $20.21 million
Lithuanian membership Zalgiris Kaunas doesn’t have a pool of cash with which to construct its roster, so it must be sensible with its signings. Among the gamers who simply featured for the crew embody former Michigan star Ignas Brazdeikis and one-time Warriors ahead Alen Smailagić.
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ASVEL price range: $18.46 million
Collin Sexton wage: $18.35 million
That includes former NBA names like Andre Roberson, Joffrey Lauvergne and Nando de Colo, ASVEL Villeurbanne doesn’t spend an enormous amount of cash on participant salaries, even by Euroleague requirements. As such, its price range was lower than Collin Sexton’s in 2024-25. Enjoyable truth: former No. 1 decide Victor Wembanyama performed for ASVEL for a 12 months earlier than attending to the NBA.
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ALBA price range: $16.64 million
Caris LeVert wage: $16.62 million
One-time NBA guard Matt Thomas now performs for ALBA Berlin, after 126 NBA appearances over three NBA seasons, a stretch that noticed him shoot 40.4 % from three. ALBA Berlin’s not an enormous spender, both, with a wage price range of $16.64 million, roughly $20,000 greater than what Caris LeVert simply made in ’25.
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Baskonia price range: $15.96 million
Klay Thompson wage: $15.87 million
Baskonia, a membership in Spain with out the cash that backs Actual Madrid and even Barcelona, had a wage price range of practically $16 million in 2024-25, not far more than Klay Thompson simply earned in Dallas. Baskonia’s roster options former Florida State standout guard Trent Forrest, in addition to Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, one other former NBAer.
