Toni Kukoč Highest-Paid Basketball player in the World
- By Carol Kearney
- Zagreb
- Last updated on
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It's been a rough year for the basketball player, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 57-year-old Toni Kukoč has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid basketball players for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.
UPDATE 01/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
Toni Kukoč 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 Wednesday (December 31) that Kukoč is the highest-paid basketball player in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between December 2024 and December 2025, a nearly $60 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 Croatian basketball player has an estimated net worth of $275 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 Kukoč Burger” chain) in Zagreb, a Football Team (the “Split Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkukoč - Croatia), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Toni) and a fashion line called “Toni Kukoč Seduction”.
The ranking is significant for many Toni fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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