Durant vs. Irving vs. Harden: Who Is The Wealthiest Brooklyn Nets Star?

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden are all on the Brooklyn Nets roster this season. Who is the wealthiest among them?

Kevin Durant enjoys a slight advantage in money rankings. He has a reported net worth of $170 million. A lot of it comes from lucrative deals with brands such as Nike, Alaska Air Group and Google. In 2020, the sweet-shooting forward earned $35 million from sponsorships alone. Since he was drafted earlier than his two All-Star teammates, this allowed him to develop his skills and show what he can do faster and secure larger NBA contracts.

Nevertheless, KD is a smart investor as well. He has leaned towards investing in tech startups and even has stakes in Postmates and Acorns. Moreover, the 32-year-old has also invested in Coinbase, Robinhood, Caffeine TV, Imperfect Food and Lime scooters. Durant launched his own media company Thirty Five Media and produced “The Boardroom” for ESPN, per Bleacher Report.

On the other hand, James Harden’s personal fortune is around $165 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. Before getting traded to the Nets, Harden has only played for two teams: Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. This enabled him to become eligible for lucrative supermax deals. However, he turned down being the first player in NBA history to earn a $50 million a year salary after ignoring the offer from the Rockets.

Harden was adamant in his decision to leave Houston and the team has no choice but to let go of their disgruntled star. “The Beard” has played with Durant before in Oklahoma City and fans of their tandem cannot wait to see if the two can rekindle their success on the court early in their careers. Aside from his basketball salary, the former Arizona State player makes money from endorsing brands such as Adidas and State Farm Insurance.

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving has a net worth of $90 million. Before playing for Brooklyn, he suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. In 2019, he inked a 4-year deal worth $141 million. Aside from being a professional basketball player, he makes money from endorsements. Irving has collaborations with Nike, General Mills, Aleve, Panini and 2K Sports.

Irving may have the least net worth among the three, but he can still demand larger contracts in the future because of his age. At only 28 years old, he will still be only 31 years old when his deal with the Nets expires in 2023. If he remains healthy and his production does not decline, “Uncle Drew” can sign an extension or play elsewhere to get bigger than $36 million per year, as what the last year on his contract with the Nets stipulates.