Highest Paid Basketball Players In Europe. And European basketball player taxes

[Euroleague]

Note: US dollars are listed with the current exchange rates as of July 4, 2011.
--->
(1 EUR = 1.45365 USD) - Not at the exchange rate at the time the contracts were signed.

Please note that this is ranked by NET INCOME, for example, after taxes are paid, after agent fees are paid, etc. This is NOT ranked by gross income, as say, NBA contracts are listed. NBA contracts are listed in amounts before taxes are paid, agent fees are paid, player union fees are paid, player retirement fund fees are paid, etc. So obviously, if you are comparing these salaries to NBA salaries, these European salaries are actually much larger than they might appear to NBA fans at first glance.

And remember that European teams usually pay for the player's car, house, and living expenses also. Something that NBA teams do not do. The following is a list of basketball players that have made equal to, or more than the full MLE of the NBA in salary in Europe (under the NBA collective bargaining agreement that expired on July 1, 2011).

Because the contracts are listed in net terms, and in euros, the standard amongst agents is that a €2.0 million euros net per season contract in Europe is equal to a full MLE contract in the NBA (under the NBA collective bargaining agreement that expired on July 1, 2011). The top tier pay for basketball players in Europe, also starts at €2.0 million euros net per season.


All-Time Highest Paid European Professional Basketball Players:

€2.0 million euros net = a full MLE contract in the NBA (under the NBA collective bargaining agreement that expired on July 1, 2011)

(listed by net income per season - same amounts are listed higher by the earliest year and/or ranked by total amount)


1. Josh Childress - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2008-09: €4.5 million euros net income ($6.5 million net)
2009-10: €4.5 million euros net income ($6.5 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2010-11: €4.5 million euros net ($6.5 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


2. Theo Papaloukas - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2007-08: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2008-09: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net) - player option declined
2009-10: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net) - player option declined[/COLOR]

Theo Papaloukas - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2008-09: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)
2009-10: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net)
2010-11: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net)


3. Sarunas Jasikevicius - Panathinaikos Athens (Greece)

2007-08: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net)
2008-09: €3.5 million euros net income ($5.1 million net)


4. Bostjan Nachbar - Dynamo Moscow (Russia)

2008-09: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2009-10: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net) - team option declined
2010-11: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


5. Jorge Garbajosa - Khimky Moscow Region (Russia)

2008-09: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2009-10: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


6. Nenad Krstic - Triumph Lyubertsy Moscow Region (Russia)

2008-09: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2009-10: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]

Nenad Krstic - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2011-12: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)
2012-13: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)


7. Carlos Delfino - Khimki Moscow Region (Russia)

2008-09: €2.8 million euros net income ($4.1 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2009-10: €2.8 million euros net income ($4.1 million net) - team option declined
2010-11: €2.9 million euros net income ($4.2 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


8. Ramunas Siskauskas - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2007-08: €2.5 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2008-09: €2.5 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2009-10: €3.0 million euros net income ($4.4 million net)


9. Vassilis Spanoulis - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2010-11: €2.4 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)
2011-12: €2.5 million euros net income ($3.6 million net)
2012-13: €2.6 million euros net income ($3.8 million net)


10. Matjaz Smodis - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2008-09: €2.5 million euros net income ($3.6 million net)
2009-10: €2.5 million euros net income ($3.6 million net)
2010-11: €2.5 million euros net income ($3.6 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2011-12: €2.5 million euros net income ($3.6 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


11. Dominique Wilkins - Panathinaikos Athens (Greece)

1995-96: €2.4 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]1996-97: €2.4 million euros net income ($3.5 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


12. Jannero Pargo - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2008-09: €2.380 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)


13. Juan Carlos Navarro - Barcelona Basket (Spain)

2008-09: €2.37 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)
2009-10: €2.37 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)
2010-11: €2.37 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)
2011-12: €2.37 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)
2012-13: €2.37 million euros net income ($3.5 million net)


14. Linas Kleiza - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2009-10: €2.3 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2010-11: €2.3 million euros net income ($3.3 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


15. Arvydas Macijauskas - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2006-07: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)
2007-08: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)
2008-09: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)
2009-10: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)


16. Lynn Greer - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2007-08: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)
2008-09: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)


17. Nikola Vujcic - Olympiacos Piraeus (Greece)

2008-09: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)
2009-10: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)


18. Earl Boykins - Virtus Bologna (Italy)

2008-09: €2.25 million euros net income ($3.3 million net)


19. Aleksey Savrasenko - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2006-07: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2007-08: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2008-09: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2009-10: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


20. J.R. Holden - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2007-08: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2008-09: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)


21. Sergey Monya - Dynamo Moscow (Russia)

2008-09: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)


22. Trajan Langdon - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2008-09: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)


23. Darjus Lavrinovic - Dynamo Moscow (Russia)

2008-09: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
[COLOR="Red"]2009-10: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net) - team option declined
2010-11: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net) - team option declined[/COLOR]


24. Zoran Planinic - CSKA Moscow (Russia)

2009-10: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)


25. Dimitris Diamantidis - Panathinaikos Athens (Greece)

2010-11: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2011-12: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)
2011-12: €2.0 million euros net income ($2.9 million net)

[Sakkreth]

Only olympiacos could pay that for childress

[Kblaze8855]

9 NBA role players on there. I wonder why that is. And I dont wonder in a "Im suggestingi ts because that league sucks" kinda way. Im really wondering why they would come out the pocket like that for some of these guys. Im sure some of the europeans were established as stars there came here to be role players and went back to big deals since they were established over there from earlier. But a guy like Bostjan Nachbar.....ive seen a LOT of him. Dude just isnt that good. childress is not...that good. not "Lets give him more money than anyone...ever" good. I know the fans partly joking partly serious talk up the NBA like our scrubs or 6th men are stars anywhere else but...do the teams in europe believe that too?

What makes them offer Josh money like that? Putting up like 11/5 on a team that lost in the first round?

And Delfino? The ****? Im sure he was better there than over here but...THAT much better?

A guy like scola I can understand. Scola is a beast at times. I respect his game a lot. I can see how he would be on this list. But some of these guys are straight up nobodies over here.

The game is different and im sure that factors in heavily. But damn.

And its not like these guys literally cant play. Jasikevicius was the truth when I saw him play internationally. I expected him to do pretty well. I figured he couldnt get minutes because of the system he arrived here in. Then he went to Nelsons Warriors and I figured if he had a shot anywhere that was it. And nothing.

What is it that keeps these guys so.....under wraps over here?

[IGOTGAME]

Only olympiacos could pay that for childress

they susposedly offered Kobe almost 30 millions Euros to play in Greece. That is all untaxed with substantial benefits. They must have a hell of a lot of money.

[TrueGreenFan]

Hollis Price.... Remember mua????/

[niko]

SO basically it's rare they pay anything near a competitive wage for what would be a topline player. Isn't that what everyone has been saying?

[Rekindled]

SO basically it's rare they pay anything near a competitive wage for what would be a topline player. Isn't that what everyone has been saying?

well to be fair, they have no tax there and they provide you with house and women and that kind of stuff

[niko]

well to be fair, they have no tax there and they provide you with house and women and that kind of stuff

The top players here get $12M and up. Even if you extrapolate and exaggerate the benefits there, it still doesn't approach that much. It's not good or bad, it just is. Which means top line talent are not going to jump during a lockout.

[Theoo's Daddy]

well to be fair, they have no tax there and they provide you with house and women and that kind of stuff

or they can come to miami, we'll pay them under the table and offer them latino women. :Biggrin

[winwin]

olympiacos and Russin clubs = money laundering