Black millionaire: Highest paid NBA endorsers

In 2013, the top 100 professional athletes brought in almost three-quarters of a billion dollars in athlete endorsements ($772 mill). This accounts for over 70% of the estimated $1.1 billion spent on athlete endorsements each year. This list is a tribute to the athletes that are dominating the athlete endorsement industry. Believe it or not, golf and tennis monopolized the top three slots, but the National Basketball Association occupied the largest percentage of the top 50.

Here are the highest NBA endorsees in 2013, along with their actual off-court intake and list of endorsers. Also, see if you can guess the notable absence from this list.

1. LeBron James (above): $42 million

No surprises that King James ranks No. 1. The four-time league MVP and two-time defending NBA champion has many endorsements including: Nike, Powerade, McDonald’s, Baskin-Robbins, Samsung and Dunkin’ Brands.