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Four OKC Thunder players make Forbes 100 highest paid athletes list

By Alex Mcewen

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JANUARY 15: The NBA and the Oklahoma City Thunder honor Black History Month and the National Anthem before the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 15, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Sr./NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JANUARY 15: The NBA and the Oklahoma City Thunder honor Black History Month and the National Anthem before the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 15, 2018 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Sr./NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Forbes released their annual 100 highest paid athletes list. The list totaled 40 NBA players, including four from the OKC Thunder.

Forbes has released their annual 100 highest paid athletes list, which includes four members of the OKC Thunder, the most from one NBA team. Followed by Washington, Boston, Golden State, and Memphis with three players each.

Russell Westbrook 13th, Carmelo Anthony 38th, Paul George 57th, and Steven Adams 86th were the four Thunder players named on the list.

It’s impressive for a small market such as Oklahoma City to have four Thunder players make the Forbes list. Much like the ESPN World Fame list Westbrook and Anthony were named to last month, such honors should be applauded.

Other highlights from the list

The list included 40 NBA players overall, up from 32 in 2017. In contrast, the NFL (18), MLB (14), and NHL (zero) had 32 athletes combined.

https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1004024287337111553?s=19

In regard to the NHL not having any athletes make Forbes list their salaries pay substantially less than the other three major sports. The highest paid NHL players last season were Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks each made 13,800,000 million. Furthermore, only 11 NHL players made 10 million or more during the 2017-18 season.

NHL salary numbers via Business Insider report

Top 10 NBA players on the list

More from Thunderous Intentions

First: LeBron James, sixth overall

  • Second: Steph Curry, eighth overall
  • Third: Kevin Durant, 11th overall
  • Fourth: Russell Westbrook, 13th overall
  • Fifth: James Harden, 14th overall
  • Sixth: Damian Lillard, 24th overall
  • Seventh: Kyrie Irving, 29th overall
  • Eighth: Giannis Antetokounmpo, T30th overall
  • Ninth: Blake Griffin, T30th overall
  • Tenth: Anthony Davis, 34th overall

    • The full list can be viewed here

    Moreover, among the top-10 NBA players on the list, none of them are members of the Lakers, Clippers, Bulls, Nets, or Knicks. Those five teams reside in the three largest media markets in the NBA. Furthermore, Only the Clippers and Lakers had players make the Forbes list period.

    The Thunder, Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Bucks reside in the four smallest media markets in the NBA. Those four teams had a combined 10 players named to the Forbes list. Due to the power of social media which gives an athlete the ability to market themselves anywhere, large markets no longer rule the NBA.

    Media market size via Sports Media Watch

    Small markets having more star power than large markets is beneficial, whether you are a fan of the OKC Thunder or any other small market franchise. A fact these franchises might want to utilize in their free agency pitches.

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