Jerry West Highest-Paid Basketball player in the World

It's been a rough year for the basketball player, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 87-year-old Jerry West has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid basketball players for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 21/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Jerry West tops annual list of highest-paid basketball players

In 2023 it looked like the basketball player’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (March 20) that West is the highest-paid basketball player in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American basketball player-business man has an estimated net worth of $245 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat West Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Cabin Creek Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderwest - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Jerry) and a fashion line called “Jerry West Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Jerry fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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