Stephen Curry. Image via: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
How did Stephen Curry become the NBA’s highest-paid player?
Stephen Curry has agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension with the Golden State Warriors, running through the 2028-29 season. Curry was eligible for up to $136 million, so the new deal sits about $20 million below the ceiling. Even with the discount, Curry still tops the 2026-27 salary list at $62.6 million. In August 2021, a four-year, $215 million extension made Curry the first player with two contracts over $200 million. Yearly pay on that one rose from $48.1 million in 2022-23 to $59.6 million in 2025-26. A one-year, $62.6 million extension signed in August 2024 then covered 2026-27. Curry was eligible for $136 million and signed for $116 million. Pay drops to $55.7 million in 2027-28 and $60.2 million in 2028-29, with the second year a player option. Curry is a four-time champion, winning in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022, and the 2022 Finals MVP. Curry has two MVP awards, and the 2016 vote is the only unanimous one in league history. In 2015-16, Curry averaged 30.1 points, made 402 three-pointers and led Golden State to an NBA-record 73 wins. The same season produced a 50-40-90 shooting year at more than 30 points a game, something no other player has done. Curry has 12 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA nods, and two scoring titles, in 2016 and 2021. In March 2025, Curry became the first player to hit 4,000 career threes. Internationally, Curry owns gold from the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cups and the 2024 Paris Olympics, where late threes helped beat France in the final.
Golden State general manager Mike Dunleavy said there has never been “a better face to a franchise in professional sports history. The final year is a player option, a route to a 20th season with the same franchise. The numbers point to a career built on more than his three-pointers. A run of contracts, a shoe-brand split and a new apparel deal explain how Curry got here. The contract also made Curry the league’s highest-paid player. The September deal works differently. The list keeps going. Eight seasons ended with Curry leading the league in made threes. As for Curry’s NBA career, he is one of the greatest to play the sport, with several stunning records and titles to his name. Many argue that Steph should be in the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) debate alongside Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and, of course, LeBron James. Certainly, he deserves the place. Recently, the NBA’s official social media handle posted a short video asking league-wide stars for their opinion on one great NBA skill one would steal. Many called it Curry’s shooting, and some wanted his ball-handling as well. Regardless, Curry is a forged player; he developed into one of the greatest in the game.
