Stephen Curry says NBA players like him are “underpaid” despite $62 million salary

Stephen Curry recently sparked a debate by saying that NBA players, himself included, are "underpaid"—even with his astonishing $62 million salary for the 2024-2025 season. In a chat with Complex, Curry explained this daring claim, highlighting the NBA’s financial structure as the reason players don’t receive full compensation for their contributions.During a chat with Speedy Morman for Complex, Stephen Curry was questioned about his rumored $240 million net worth and if he believes NBA players are underpaid. He dodged the net worth inquiry, stating, “I don’t know. I don’t really care,” he pointed out that he leaves the financial details to his team. According to him, his priority is to build a lasting wealth legacy with his wife, Ayesha Curry, leveraging the opportunities that basketball has offered them. “We’ve been blessed with so many opportunities and so many resources and so many relationships. We wanna be good stewards of it,” he told MormanThe discussion moved to how much players earn when Morman questioned whether NBA stars, despite their big contracts, are really underpaid for their impact on the league. Curry was quick to respond. “I think, because the way the CBA is structured right now, we can’t participate in equity,” he said. “And that’s a big deal because it is a partnership with ownership. It’s a partnership with the league, and we’re on the short term of that revenue”He later added, “The idea that we can’t participate in equity while we’re playing is part of why I would say yes, we are underpaid, because we want to be able to participate in that rise.” Curry acknowledged that salaries like his “sound crazy,” but he argued that the league’s growth—up “probably 10x” from past eras—far outpaces what players can earn under the current rules. “I think we deserve it,” he concluded, hoping for a future where players can share in team and league equity “sooner [rather] than later”At first look, Curry's statement might catch you off guard. I mean, he's the top-paid player in the NBA for the 2024-2025 season, raking in more than $62 million, and he's expected to make $60 million the following year. His total career earnings are about $410 million, placing him as the third-highest earner in NBA history, right behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant.The answer is found in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the deal between the league and the National Basketball Players Association. The CBA defines the rules for player salaries, including the salary cap that’s connected to the league’s income. Players get about 50% of that income, but there’s a catch: they can’t hold equity in teams or the league while they’re active players.Curry's point is that this limitation stops players from enjoying the complete financial benefits of the NBA's expansion. Take the Warriors, for example. Forbes has valued the team at $8.8 billion, which makes it the most valuable franchise in the league. That's a significant rise from its $450 million valuation when Curry joined in 2009. Players like Curry, whose talent on the court contributes to team success and fan engagement, can't benefit from that increase in value. Their earnings are limited to their salaries, no matter how high those salaries get.Also Read: Shannon Sharpe believes Kareem Abdul Jabbar is the most undervalued player in NBA historyCurry's remarks highlight an increasing conflict in pro sports: figuring out how to justly compensate the athletes who make the games enjoyable. He acknowledges his good fortune — referring to his career and income as a privilege — but he's pushing back against the norm.He’s earning over $62 million, the highest salary in the league.LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry.Players receive about 50% of the league’s revenue.