How Steph Curry and Kevin Durant Became Billionaires

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are two of the best players in the NBA, but now they have entered another elite realm: the billion-dollar career earnings club. According to Forbes, they join LeBron James as the only active NBA players to generate ten figures in total revenue through record-setting contract extensions, savvy tech investments, and lucrative off-court business empires. Here’s how Curry and Durant built their billion-dollar portfolios.

Record-Setting NBA Deals

In 2017, Curry became the first player in NBA history to sign a supermax contract worth more than $ 200 million. Four years later, he signed a four-year, $215.4 million extension in 2021, becoming the first player to sign two consecutive $200M+ deals. After signing a multi-year extension that keeps him in Golden State through the 2028–29 season, Curry’s total NBA earnings are set to surpass $648 million.

Global Sneaker & Apparel Partnerships

In 2013, Curry brought Under Armour into the big time. Across his decade-plus partnership with Under Armour, Stephen Curry’s deal evolved beyond traditional endorsement to include substantial equity stakes and the 2020 launch of his standalone Curry Brand. Across his 12-year tenure with Under Armour, Stephen Curry earned roughly $300 million before the parties officially parted ways in November 2025. Though the separation left much of his projected $1 billion extension on the table, following the end of the lifetime contract, Curry retained full, independent ownership of the Curry Brand. Expanding his brand in overseas markets like China, Curry secured lucrative long-term licensing and distribution deals, headlined by a landmark 10-year, $400 million agreement with Li-Ning. 

Established Thirty Ink

Curry streamlined his venture portfolio, brand deals, and media ventures under a single corporate umbrella: Thirty Ink. Curry has corporate partnerships with high-tier retainers and global activation rights, including JPMorgan Chase, Rakuten, Google, Fanatics, Panini, and 2K Sports. Through early-stage venture investments, Curry has built strategic stakes across consumer tech, digital media, and wellness—backed by positions in Tonal, TMRW Sports, and DraftKings.

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Co-Founded Unanimous Media

Curry has also become a prominent fixture in the media space. In 2018, he co-founded Unanimous Media with  Erick Peyton to produce film, television, audio, and digital documentary projects. Through Unanimous Media, Curry’s executive producer credits feature Oscar-winning documentary short The Queen of Basketball (2021), Apple TV+’s Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023), and Jump Shot (2019). His television roster spans unscripted and scripted projects, including ABC’s Holey Moley, HBO’s About Last Night, E!’s Black Pop, Peacock’s comedy Mr. Throwback, and Netflix’s animated Good Times.

Massive NBA Contracts

Like Curry,  Durant is one of the highest-paid players in NBA history, inking max and supermax contracts throughout his career with Oklahoma City, Golden State, Brooklyn, and Phoenix. In his career, Durant has surpassed $500 million in NBA salary earnings alone.

Lifetime Deal With Nike

A lifelong member of the Swoosh family, Durant inked a lifetime contract with Nike in 2023. He became just the third basketball player in history, following Michael Jordan and LeBron James, to receive a lifetime deal. His signature KD line, spanning over 17 iterations, generates millions annually via royalties, guarantees, and international apparel distribution. The deal will net him a baseline of roughly $26 million annually.

Co-Founded Boardroom

Durant is also a major player in the media world with his company Boardroom. Co-founded in 2019 with his business partner Rich Kleiman, Boardroom operates as a multi-media platform covering the intersection of sports, tech, media, and business. Under the Boardroom umbrella, Durant executive produces projects across major networks, including the Oscar-winning short film Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), Swagger (Apple TV+), and NYC Point Gods (Showtime).

Lucrative Investments in Silicon Valley

While with the Golden State Warriors, Durant tapped into Northern California’s venture capital scene, partnering with Kleiman to co-found 35V and back high-growth tech startups with early-stage capital. In 2016, Durant invested $1M into Postmates and received an estimated $15M payout when Uber acquired Postmates in 2020 for $2.65B. He is also an investor in Coinbase, Robinhood, Acorns, and Rubrik. In total, Durant has over 100+ brands in his investment Portfolio:

Sports Team Ownership

Through his investment firm 35V, Durant has established an expansive sports team ownership footprint. His holdings include a minority stake in global soccer giant Paris Saint-Germain through Qatar Sports Investments, a minority ownership position in Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, and an equity stake in NWSL club NJ/NY Gotham FC. Additionally, Durant is a majority co-owner of the Major League Pickleball franchise, the Brooklyn Aces, and boasts stakes in Athletes Unlimited, the Premier Lacrosse League, and League One Volleyball.