How much does he make? Raleigh’s John Wall on Forbes list of top-earning athletes.
On a video call May 26, John Wall said he doesn’t play basketball for the money. He plays because he loves basketball.
So it comes as an added bonus that Wall is one of the world’s highest-earning athletes even when he’s not able to be on the court.
Wall, a Raleigh native, is the 42nd-highest paid player in the world, according to Forbes magazine’s rankings published Friday. The former Word of God Christian Academy basketball star is in the midst of a four-year contract extension with the Washington Wizards.
The five-time All-Star ruptured his Achilles tendon in February 2019, sidelining him for the 2019-20 season. Despite that, Wall will make more than $31 million in 2020, Forbes reported. Only $2.5 million of that comes from endorsements, as Wall and Adidas parted ways just over one year into a five-year contract.
Joining Wall on the Forbes top-100 list are former Duke basketball players Kyrie Irving and Zion Williamson, both No. 1 NBA Draft picks. Former University of North Carolina football player Robert Quinn, now with the NFL’s Chicago Bears, also made the list.
Tennis’ Roger Federer was No. 1 at $106 million, with Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James the highest earning U.S. athlete and No. 6 overall at $88 milIion. Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka was the highest-earning female athlete at $37.4 million.
This year was the first in four that paydays dropped for the world’s top-earning athletes, Forbes reported, citing COVID-19.
Wall recently donated 2,300 N95 masks to staff at UNC Rex Hospital on behalf of his mother, Frances Pulley. Pulley was treated for breast cancer at the hospital before she passed in December 2019. Wall also launched a rent assist program to help those in Ward 8 of Washington, D.C., where the Wizards’ practice facility is located.
Kyrie Irving was ranked 24th at $41.9 million after signing a four-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. Irving’s Nike shoe is among the company’s most popular. Nike also contributes to a significant portion of Zion Williamson’s wealth with a long-term deal worth at least $13 million a year to promote its Jordan brand. The New Orleans Pelicans player was 57th on the list at $27.3 million after one year in the league.
Chicago Bears linebacker Robert Quinn was 77th on the list at $24.7 million.
Several other athletes with North Carolina ties made Forbes’ list, including former Charlottean Stephen Curry (No. 6 at $74.4 million), Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (No. 63 at $26.5 million), Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson (No. 85 at $23.7 million), former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (No. 97 at $22. 2 million), former Wake Forest basketball star Chris Paul (No. 35 at $35 million) and former Charlotte Hornet Kemba Walker (No. 52 at $27.6 million).