Greek-Nigerian basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has been named the fifth highest-earning athlete in Forbes’ 2024 rankings, boasting an annual income of $111 million from both on-court and off-court ventures.
Forbes estimates his on-field earnings at $46 million, with an additional $65 million derived from endorsements and other activities. Giannis trails basketball legend LeBron James, who is fourth with $128.2 million in earnings.
Ahead of Giannis are soccer star Lionel Messi, third with $135 million, golfer Jon Rahm, second with $218 million, and soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who tops the list with an estimated $260 million, largely due to his $200 million annual salary from Al Nassr, a club in the Saudi Pro League.
Despite a challenging season with the Milwaukee Bucks, which included a calf injury, a midseason coaching change, and an early playoff exit, Giannis has continued to thrive off the court. He launched his production company in January and partnered with Pepsi’s Starry soft drink in February. Later this year, Giannis will unveil his sixth signature sneaker with Nike, further bolstering his off-court presence.
As the son of immigrants from Nigeria, Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece, on December 6, 1994. His father (Charles) was a soccer player and his mother (Veronica) was a high jumper in Nigeria. Giannis began his basketball journey with the youth teams of Filathlitikos in his hometown. He joined the senior team in 2011 before being drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013.
In the 2016–17 NBA season, Giannis made history by leading the Bucks in all major statistical categories, earning the Most Improved Player award in 2017. He has since become an eight-time All-Star and has captained the All-Star team in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024, showcasing his immense popularity and influence.
Giannis won consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards in 2019 and 2020, a distinction shared with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James. In 2020, he also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, joining Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. His crowning achievement came in 2021 when he led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years, earning the Finals MVP title.
Giannis’ commercial success is equally impressive. He signed a five-year, $228 million supermax extension with the Bucks in December 2020, followed by a three-year extension in October 2023. His on-court success has triggered significant bonuses from sponsors like Nike. The launch of his Zoom Freak 1 in 2019 was the largest initial signature shoe release in Nike basketball history. Additionally, Disney produced a film based on Giannis’ life titled “Rise,” which premiered on Disney+ in June 2022.
