Kevin Durant is entering his 18th NBA season, and he is now doing so as a player who has made more money on the court than any other superstar in league history.
Durant signed a two-year, $90 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets on Sunday. He took roughly $30 million less than the maximum value he was entitled to in order to help his new team build a championship contender around him.
Even with the $30 million discount (though some would not describe it that way), Durant has the highest career earnings of any player in NBA history. His $598.2 million is slightly higher than LeBron James’ $583.9 million.
Kevin Durant now holds the record for the highest career earnings in NBA history at $598.2 million based on current and future salaries, surpassing LeBron James ($583.9 million). He has a total of three years and $144.7 million on his current contract. https://t.co/C3l6Zve60R
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2025
LeBron exercised his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. He likely could have signed another max deal with the Los Angeles Lakers that would have secured his spot at the top of the highest earnings list, but Durant is No. 1 for the time being.
Durant has yet to play a game for the Rockets after they acquired him in a record-setting trade during the offseason. Some have wondered if Houston will regret committing $90 million to a 37-year-old player, though Durant played at an elite level with the Phoenix Suns last season. The 15-time All-Star averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists across 62 games.
One reporter questioned Durant’s new contract, and the two-time NBA Finals MVP had a profane response.
