5 NBA Players Who Should Pay the Most in Taxes

Though they may make millions upon millions of dollars in salaries and endorsements, NBA stars are taxpayers just like you and me.  Sure, some of us may put them on pedestals and worship them like gods, but the fact remains that they are no different from the rest of us.  Come April 17, they too will have to file their tax returns with our dear friends at the IRS.

I can only imagine how much of a headache tax season is for LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.  With all of the endorsements and properties they own, not to mention receipts for business expenses, their accountants must have to work round the clock to figure out just how much these A-list clients owe the government.

Seeing as how I've been doing my taxes for the past couple of weeks and have slowly gone insane in the process, I think it's time to take a break and have a look at the NBA stars who should be paying the most.

No. 5: Rashard Lewis

Salary: $21,136,630

Let me get this straight.  Lewis gets paid that much money to play 26 minutes a night, score about eight points a game and do a bad job shooting from long range?  And he has endorsements??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does this guy even do anything anymore?  Considering how he hasn't played since February 28, I think it's time for the IRS to make the short trip from its office on Constitution Avenue and head to the Verizon Center to have a talk with Lewis about how much he should be paying them rather than what he has paid for the past few years.

No. 4: Blake Griffin

Salary: $5,731,080

His salary may be low, but Griffin probably has more endorsements than any other second-year player in NBA history.  That said, you know he's making way more than just his salary.

From Subway to Kia Motors to AT&T, Griffin should not only have to pay income tax, but a separate one for having his face on TV all the damn time.

No. 3: Kevin Durant

Salary: $13,603,750

I love Durant, but he definitely is in the group of people who should be paying the most taxes.  Forget his salary.  His lengthy list of endorsements is enough on top of that to make him someone who deserves no tax breaks whatsoever.

Still, you have to respect the guy for getting that many endorsement deals while playing in a market as small as Oklahoma City.

No. 2: LeBron James

Salary: $16,022,500

Forget James' salary.  This guy has more endorsements than I can count, ranging from State Farm to Nike.  On top of that, his sneakers are quite popular.

Thus, though the NBA salary says otherwise, I think it's safe to say that LeBron is pocketing close to nine figures a year.  Throw in the fact that he lives in a $9 million mansion in Coconut Grove, and he should probably be ready to pay the IRS lots of money, not to mention hang out at his house regularly.

No. 1: Kobe Bryant

Salary: $25,244,493

I could go on and on about how Bryant should pay the most in taxes since he's the highest-paid player in the league, but I won't.  Perhaps I could mention his endorsement deals with the likes of Vitamin Water and Guitar Hero, just two of many deals he has.

However, I'm not going to do either.  I'm instead going to point to how the man once owned $18.8 million worth of mansions in Orange County (though his ex-wife now owns those) and is worth approximately $150 million.  Forget endorsements or salary.  That alone is why the Black Mamba should have the IRS on speed dial.