The average salary of a pro basketball player is a stunning $4.9 million, and their careers typically span about five years. For the top-paid players, those numbers are even more awe-inspiring. Michael Jordan was famously the first basketball player in history to sign a contract for more than $30 million, netting $33 million way back in the 1997 to ’98 season. Today, thanks to endorsements, sponsorship deals, investments, and his Nike brand, he’s worth more than a billion. Oh, and he owns his own basketball team, the Charlotte Hornets. Other top-paid NBA stars include Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. With funds rolling in at this level, it’s no surprise that current and former NBA stars have some of the most lavish, over-the-top homes in the United States. Read on for our list of the 10 NBA players homes that will leave you green with envy.
LeBron James
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers has earned about $280 million over the course of his career so far. That can buy some pretty awesome real estate, and his palatial Coconut Grove, Florida home lives up to expectations. The infinity pool offers a stunning view of Biscayne Bay and the home’s boat dock, which can accommodate two yachts. There’s a plush home theater, a sizable wine cellar, and nearly 17,000 square feet of living space. Recently, James sold the home to move back to Cleveland. The opulent estate went for $13.4 million, adding a $4 million profit to James’s coffers.
Dwayne Wade
Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat owns a sprawling, Mediterranean-style abode on Miami Beach’s La Gorce Island. At 13,000 square feet, plus guest house, there’s plenty of room for the six-foot-four guard to sprawl out and get comfortable. There are eight bedrooms, nine baths, and two kitchens. The grounds boast a tennis court and pool with cabanas.
Michael Jordan
MJ has owned plenty of homes since his career began, but we’re excited about his Highland Park, Illinois residence because it’s currently on the market. That’s right, you can own a piece of NBA history, with Jordan’s Number 23 emblazoned on the front gate, for a cool $14.9 million. That’s a bargain compared to the $29 million price tag the home carried when it first entered the market. Jordan has famously had trouble finding a buyer for the 56,000-square foot estate, despite its top-tier amenities, including a 14-car garage, infinity pool, putting green, and regulation-size basketball court.
Chris Paul
Los Angeles Clippers player Chris Paul owns Avril Lavigne’s old house, a 12,000-square foot Mediterranean in Bel Air. It offers the finest in outdoor living, with poolside beds, a spa, and an open-air kitchen. Indoors, the $8.5 million-dollar space features a wine cellar and gym in addition to its eight bedrooms.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard, formerly of the Houston Rockets, is now a free agent being courted by the Dallas Mavericks. After leaving the Orlando Magic, Howard put his Longwood, Florida home on the market for $4.9 million, despite having paid just under $8 million for the property. The 11,000-square foot Mediterranean/Gothic mash-up features a high-end chef’s kitchen, wine tasting room, and movie theater. The “man cave” boasts a pool table, wet bar, and double-sided fireplace. Outdoors, the pool is the centerpiece of the estate. With waterfalls, a grotto, water slide, and lazy river, it’s its own water park.
Chris Bosh
Six-foot-eleven Miami Heat star Chris Bosh owns one of the pricier homes on our list, a $12.3 million-dollar modernist marvel in Miami Beach. This glistening, white palace features walls of windows, hearkening back to Mid-Century Modern style. The requisite infinity pool is shaded by palm trees, and several rooms offer a breathtaking view of Biscayne Bay. The all-white interior makes it feel like walking in the clouds. Bosh also owns a $9.4 million-dollar home in the Pacific Palisades, which he rents out to the tune of $45,000 per month.
Kevin Garnett
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Garnett put his contemporary Concord home on the market when he left the Boston Celtics. The fabulous, 11,000-square foot space is perched on a 12-acre lot with a lovely pond view, and the five-bedroom, six-bath home features a wine cellar, gym, library, and theater. Garnett also owns a $6.5 million-dollar home in Minnesota.
Kenyon Martin
Retired star Kenyon Martin played for several NBA teams, including the Jets and the Knicks, and even did a stint with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of China. He’s selling his Dalworthington Gardens, Texas home, complete with pecan orchard. The home’s standout feature is its pool, waterfall, and hot tub combo flanked by larger-than-life bronze dolphin fountains.
Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Arenas has played for several NBA teams, and like Kenyon Martin, headed to China, where he spent a season with the Shanghai Sharks. The team was an appropriate choice, given his apparent affinity for the marine monsters: his home in Great Falls, Virginia boasts a massive shark tank. Agent Zero’s 9,000-square foot space also includes a custom grotto.
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors recently purchased a Bay-area home in Walnut Creek, California. The five-bedroom, six-bath Mediterranean villa is modest by NBA standards, but luxurious nonetheless. A spacious terrace offers views of the wooded, one-acre property. There’s a chef’s-grade kitchen, billiard room, wine cellar, and spiral staircase.
2 Point Highlight
The home’s standout feature is its pool, waterfall, and hot tub combo flanked by larger-than-life bronze dolphin fountains.
The team was an appropriate choice, given his apparent affinity for the marine monsters: his home in Great Falls, Virginia boasts a massive shark tank.
