Despite a string of losses Conor McGregor reigns supreme as the world’s highest-paid athlete.
According to Forbes, McGregor pulled in $22 million for his January loss to Dustin Poirier. But, his ventures outside the ring have amassed him a total $158 million. In April, McGregor and his partners sold Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey to Proximo Spirits (the company that owns Jose Cuervo and other brands) in a deal worth close to $600 million. He also boasts an endorsement portfolio that includes DraftKings, and the video game Dystopia: Contest of Heroes.
On the hardwood, LeBron James is the king of the court. Although he ranks No. 5 overall behind soccer stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Bron still had an impressive year by earning a total of $96.5 million. $31.5 million came from his NBA salary, while the other $65 million came from a string of side projects including his upcoming Space Jam reboot. Adding to his total is James’ stake in Fenway Sports Group and his deal with Pepsi.
As for the gridiron, Dak Prescott’s new deal with the Dallas Cowboys proved to be fruitful. The $66 million signing bonus that accompanied his new four-year, $160 million contract extension pushed Prescott’s yearly earnings to $107.5 million, which moved him ahead of LeBron to No. 4. on the list.
As for Tom Brady, he came in at No. 9, with $76 million earned, finishing just ahead of Kevin Durant, who rounded out the list with $75 million.
Here is the full list of Forbes’ richest athletes of 2021:
No. 1: Conor McGregor — $180 million
No. 2: Lionel Messi — $130 million
No. 3: Cristiano Ronaldo — $120 million
No. 4: Dak Prescott — $107.5 million
No. 5: LeBron James — $96.5 million
No. 6: Neymar — $95 million
No. 7: Roger Federer — $90 million
No. 8: Lewis Hamilton — $82 million
No. 9: Tom Brady — $76 million
No. 10: Kevin Durant — $75 million
