Athletes In The Elite 'Eight-Figure' Club

By siliconindia | Friday, 18 April 2014, 11:16 Hrs

4. LeBron James

Salary: $17.8 million

Endorsements:$42 million

Total Earnings: $59.8 million

LeBron Raymone James is nicknamed "King James" by his fans. He is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. In 2012, for the first time King James won his NBA title, third league MVP Award, and his second Olympic gold medal. Deals with Nike, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Samsung and others have made him the highest paid endorsement star in N.B.A. His signature Nike shoes sales rose 50 percent to $300 million in the U.S. during 2012, according to research firm SportsOneSource. He outsmarted his nearest NBA competitor by a 6-to-1 margin in the U.S.

5. Drew Brees

Salary: $40 million

Endorsements: $11 million

Total Earnings: $51 million

Next in this list is the famous American football player Drew Christopher Brees.. He is a player for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Brees has signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension in July 2012 with the New Orleans Saints that included a $37 million signing bonus. Having joined the saints in 2006 he was rewarded for six Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl title. Being NFL’s most successful pitchmen he has a dozen endorsement deals, including Nike, Procter & Gamble, Verizon Wireless, PepsiCo and Wrangler. Apart from making money this man is also engaged in charity, his Brees Dream Foundation has contributed nearly $17 million to many academic institutions and charitable causes.