NBA: LeBron, Kobe form one-two punch atop Forbes’ NBA Endorsement All-Stars list

Defending two-time NBA champion LeBron James of the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant earn a combined $76 million in endorsements, and are one and two respectively on Forbes Magazine’s top-10 list of Endorsement All-Stars, the publication revealed, Tuesday.

James earns $42 million thanks to deals with McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Samsung, Upper Deck, Audemars Piguet and Dunkin Donuts, while Bryant rakes in $34 million from Turkish Air, Lenovo, Hublot and Panini. Both are also Nike endorsers.

Together, the pair make just a bit less than the remaining eight on the list ($78.5 million). Injured Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is third with $21 million, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, with $14 million.

Rounding out the list are Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat ($12 million), New York Knicks duo Carmelo Anthony ($9 million) and Amar’e Stoudemire ($6.5 million), Houston Rocket Dwight Howard ($6 million), and LA Clippers Blake Griffin ($6 million) and Chris Paul ($4 million).

The 10 combine for an intake of $155 million, far more than MLB’s top 10 (less than $30 million), the NFL’s top 10 ($55 million) and the NHL’s top 10 ($15 million).

According to Forbes, only soccer stars come close to NBA stars when it comes to endorsements, with their top 10 combining for $120 million last year, behind luminaries like David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. - Reuters