OKC Thunder: Chris Paul no. 35 on Forbes’ 2020 list of highest-paid athletes

OKC Thunder point guard, Chris Paul ranks 35th on Forbes’ 2020 highest-paid athletes list and is the 10th ranked NBA player.

In the annual Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes, 35 NBA players are on the 2020 list. OKC Thunder captain Chris Paul comes in at number 35 and ranks 10th among the NBA stars on the list.

A number of former OKC Thunder superstars make the list including Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Paul George all of whom made the list in 2019 as well. Last season the OKC Thunder had three players on the list including Steven Adams. The big man ranked 78th last year but fails to make the cut this season.

Tennis star Roger Federer tops the list of 100, followed by three soccer megastars: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar. Three NBA players fill the fifth through seventh placements:  LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Durant. Completing the top 10 is golfing superstar Tiger Woods and two football players.

Replicating last year’s list the NBA once again has 35 athletes in the top 100 which leads all sports. The NFL ranks second with 31 athletes while soccer (or European football) is third with 14.  The other 15 athletes on the list are stars from Tennis (6), Golf (4), Boxing (4), Auto Racing (3), and one athlete each from Mixed Martial Arts,  Baseball, and Cricket.

This is the second time in recent months Forbes has cited the OKC Thunder. The club ranked eighth on Forbes’ top 10 most passionate fan bases. The Thunder and Warriors were the only NBA teams who landed on this list.

OKC Thunder star Chris Paul among 35 NBA athletes on Forbes’ 2020 list:

Paul’s salary is the main portion of his annual earnings although he also collects an additional $6 million dollars through other ventures such as endorsements.

The following is the list of 35 NBA players who made the list. Note the bracketed number at the end is where they placed on Forbes’ list.

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LeBron James (5)

Stephen Curry (6)

Kevin Durant (7)

Russell Westbrook (12)

James Harden (17)

Giannis Antetokounmpo (18)

Kyrie Irving (24)

Klay Thompson (28)

Damian Lillard (30)

Chris Paul (35)

Paul George (38)

Blake Griffin (41)

John Wall (42)

Kawhi Leonard (43)

Anthony Davis (44)

Kyle Lowry (50)

Kemba Walker (tied 52nd)

Gordon Hayward (tied 52nd)

Jimmy Butler (tied 52nd)

Zion Williamson (57)

Joel Embiid (tied 60th)

Devin Booker (62)

D’Angelo Russell (63)

Kevin Love (67)

Tobias Harris (tied 71st)

Mike Conley Jr. (tied 71st)

DeMar DeRozan (76)

Kristaps Porzingis (78)

Al Horford (79)

Khris Middleton (82)

CJ McCollum (84)

Karl-Anthony Towns (87)

Paul Millsap (89)

Andre Drummond (93)

Bradley Beal (96)

Of the NBA stars who made the list most have been All-Stars. Conley played in the Rising Stars Game and McCollum participated in the 3-point contest. Harris and Williamson are the only members on the list above that missed out on All-Star weekend with the latter only due to his injury.

Another interesting fact is only eight players on the list have won a title: James, Curry, Durant, Irving, Thompson, Leonard, Lowry, and Love. Only three of the list members are natives from a country other than the United States: Antetokounmpo, Embiid, and Porzingis. Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will find himself on the list to represent Canada in the coming years.

And, shockingly Luka Doncic doesn’t make the list but Williamson does despite being a rookie and missing a huge portion of the season.

As for CP3 he’ll remain on this list at least another two years with the contract he’s set to collect and while SGA may eventually make the list it won’t be until he negotiates the contract after his rookie contract finishes.