The median salaries in the NBA through the years
Average NBA salaries have skyrocketed over the past decade, let alone in the last 30 years.
For proof, consider that in 1990-91, the NBA’s highest-paid player, Patrick Ewing, earned $4.3 million. This season, the highest-paid player, Stephen Curry, makes $45.8 million.
The median salary, as in the middle salary between the highest- and lowest-paid players in the league, has grown too, although nowhere near to the same extent. That’s mostly because more guys play in the NBA in recent years because of G League call ups and two-way contracts, which gives us way more players with low salaries.
Below, check out the median salaries since 1990-91.
1990-91: Alexander Volkov
Rick Stewart /Allsport
Salary: $650,000
1991-92: Nick Anderson
Andy Lyons /Allsport
Salary: $750,000
1992-93: Duane Ferrell
Allsport /Allsport
Salary: $825,000
1993-94: Nick Van Exel
Salary: $1,100,000
1994-94: Jayson Williams
Photo by STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images
Salary: $1,100,000
1995-96: Terrell Brandon
Doug Pensinger /Allsport
Salary: $1,155,000
1996-97: Sam Cassell
Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT
Salary: $1,235,000
1997-98: Gary Trent
Photo by PAUL BUCK / AFP
Salary: $1,329,009
1998-99: Jason Williams
Doug Pensinger /Allsport
Salary: $1,460,000
1999-00: Lorenzo Williams
DAVID MURRAY JR./AFP via Getty Images
Salary: $1,540,000
2000-01: Steve Kerr
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Salary: $2,200,000
2001-02: Larry Hughes
Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Salary: $2,343,635
2002-03: Dajuan Wagner
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Salary: $2,298,840
2003-04: Chris Wilcox
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Salary: $2,066,760
2004-05: Antonio Daniels
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Salary: $2,200,000
2005-06: Eddie Griffin
Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Salary: $2,500,000
2006-07: Andre Iguodala
Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images
Salary: $2,201,640
2007-08: Andris Biedrins
Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Salary: $2,636,696
2008-09: Danilo Gallinari
Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images
Salary: $2,873,520
2009-10: JJ Redick
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Salary: $2,839,408
2010-11: Nick Young
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Salary: $2,630,503
2011-12: DeShawn Stevenson
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Salary: $2,500,000
2012-13: Kemba Walker
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Salary: $2,532,960
2013-14: Chauncey Billups
Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Salary: $2,500,000
2014-15: Reggie Jackson
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Salary: $2,325,680
2015-16: Trey Burke
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Salary: $2,658,240
2016-17: Dion Waiters
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Salary: $2,898,000
2017-18: Dario Saric
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Salary: $2,422,560
2018-19: DJ Wilson
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
Salary: $2,534,280
2019-20: John Collins
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Salary: $2,686,560
2020-21: Goga Bitadze
Photo by Lauren Bacho/Getty Images
Salary: $2,957,520
2021-22: Victor Oladipo
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Salary: $2,389,641
2022-23: Chris Duarte
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Salary: $3,968,480
