Top-Earning Beijing Olympic Athletes

Image details: NBA Finals Game 4: Boston Celtics v Los Angeles Lakers served by picapp.com

Recently Forbes took a look at the top-earning athletes who are heading to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.  Here’s the list:

Kobe Bryant (USA) – The LA Lakers basketball star makes an estimated $9 million per year.  He’s got that amazing seven-year contract worth $136. 4 million but he’s also got about $17 million worth of endorsements through Nike, Sony and Coca-Cola’s Vitamin Water.

Lebron James (USA) – “King James” isn’t too far behind Kobe.  His estimated yearly salary is $38 million and he’s earned every penny by bringing his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers out of the doldrums.  He also has deals with State Farm insurance, Nike and Coca-Cola.

Ronaldinho (Brazil) – The Brazilian soccer star has a $13 million salary with FC Barcelona but deals with Nike and Pepsi bring his earnings up to $37 million.

Roger Federer (Switzerland) – The Swiss tennis star has been raking in the dough since he’s won $40 million in prize money over the past eight years and also has a 10-year contract with Nike and a cologne line, bringing his worth up to $35 million per year.

Yao Ming (China) – He’s one basketball player with international appeal since his Houston Rockets replica jersey is all over China and he’s got a great deal with Reebok (check out his Olympic shoes here).  All together with his contract and Ming makes $28 million.

Dwayne Wade (USA) – Wade makes a reported $27 million per year since in addition to his Miami Heat contract he’s got lucrative deals with Gatorade, Staples and T-Mobile.  He won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens. 

Maria Sharapova (Russia) – The tennis phenom $26 million has used her feminine wiles to her advantage and scored endorsements with Sony, Pepsi, Colgate-Palmolive, Nike and Motorola.

Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) – The Dallas Mavericks basketball player makes $25 million and, like Yao Ming, he’s got real international appeal.  In fact, in Germany he’s a huge sports hero!

Jason Kidd (USA) – Even though Kidd, 35, is nearing the end of his career, he’s still commanding top dollar.  He’s lost some of his endorsements due to some domestic troubles but his salary brings him up to about $20 million per year.

Pau Gasol (Spain) – The NBA star was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in mid-season and currently makes $15 million a year.