Through a mix of savvy branding and salary-cap intricacies, Kobe Bryant is still able to make more money than LeBron James.
There's the perception that sports is a meritocracy—that a player's financial compensation will be commensurate with his on-field success. By that logic, the four-time MVP at the peak of his powers should have the biggest paycheck, while the aging great should be a cut below.
That logic holds even truer when it comes to celebrity endorsements. In a field where present-day likability drives everything and clients on the downturn can be moved from the spotlight or outright dropped, the rising star ought to hold a significantly larger market share than the old vet.
And yet, the rationale is not perfect. Per Forbes, Kobe leads all NBA players in 2013 earnings with $59.8 million, beating out LeBron for the top spot by $2.2 million.
After these two legends, it's not even close. Derrick Rose comes in third on the list at $32.4 million, which is just $400,000 more than what Bryant makes in off-court earnings alone.
It's pretty obvious why James is in his own financial sphere ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Josh Cohen
Why Kobe Bryant’s Still More Valuable than LeBron James
June 15th, 2013 by Josh Cohen Leave a reply »
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