KOBE BRYANT ─ $500 MILLION
While playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, the late Kobe Bryant was the winner of no fewer than five NBA championships. The famous shooting guard was drafted by the team in 1996 and remained with them for the rest of his career, earning an estimated $600 million over the course of his 20-year career. Approximately $350 million was generated via Kobe’s endorsements with companies such as Nike, Sprite, Turkish Airlines, Panini, Alibaba, and Mercedes-Benz, among others. He is also well-known for founding the investing firm Bryant Stibel, as well as for founding his own media company, Granity Studios, which he continues to operate today. In the NBA Finals in 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers were spotted wearing Black Mamba jerseys. They were designed by Kobe and are being worn by the squad as a tribute to him.
KOBE BRYANT
JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN ─ $600 MILLION
Junior Bridgeman was picked by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 1975 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks three weeks after being selected in the NBA draft. When Bridgeman departed from the NBA in 1988, the Bucks did the same with his jersey. The retired actor’s personal net worth is estimated to be $600 million, despite earning a season salary high of $350,000, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Bridgeman used the money he earned in the NBA to invest in fast-food businesses, with Wendy’s accounting for the majority of his income in the process. By 2016, his company Bridgeman Foods would have 160 Wendy’s and 120 Chili’s restaurants, generating approximately $530 million in annual revenue. He is presently the second richest retired NBA player in the world, trailing only Michael Jordan in terms of net worth.
JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN
