Kevin Garnett – $180 million

Imagine that you’re just a regular high schooler who enjoys playing basketball, only to be scouted by a professional NBA team. Sounds like a fantasy, doesn’t it? Well, that’s how Kevin Garnett entered the lucrative world of NBA. We can only imagine how elated he felt when Minnesota Timberwolves named him as their 5th general pick back in 1995.

Garnett used the opportunity he received to earn a number of notable accomplishments such as: a gold Olympic medal, MVP award, and a championship ring. He earned $10 million annually from endorsement deals and signed a 126 million six year contract in 1997.