Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors just reminded fans how big the pay gap is between the NHL and the NBA.
The 36-year-old, widely regarded as one of the best NBA players of all time, signed a one-year contract extension this morning. The deal is worth a jaw-dropping $62.6 million and will keep Curry with the Warriors through the 2026-27 season.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has agreed on a one-year, $62.6 million extension that’ll keep him under contract through the 2026-2027 season, his agent Jeff Austin of Octagon tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/XdxeevrbIC
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 29, 2024
With the deal confirmed, Curry now stands to make a guaranteed $178 million over the next three seasons. He currently has two more years remaining on his previous deal, which sees him earn roughly $55.8 million per season.
His new deal is worth more than five times the amount of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who earns $12.5 million per season. The 27-year-old is the third-highest-paid player in the NHL, trailing only Auston Matthews ($13.25 million) and Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million).
McDavid, who has two seasons remaining on his contract, is expected to earn a significant raise on his next deal. That said, most believe he will earn roughly $15 million per year once his new deal is signed, which is still significantly lower than Curry’s salary.
To the credit of the NHL, the game is growing at a rapid rate, which allows its players to continue seeing pay increases year in and year out. Curry’s deal, however, goes to show just how far behind the NBA the NHL continues to remain in both popularity and revenue.