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Most NBA players have multiple income streams. The paycheck from their team is usually just the starting point. Shoe deals, investments, and media appearances can also earn them a significant amount.
And then, in the Internet era, podcasts, social media channels, and live streams have created another lucrative avenue for players to connect with fans while growing their wealth.
But have you ever wondered about licensing checks? You know, the revenue that came from anything that used a player's likeness, like college basketball's NIL? Well, if you're in the dark, it's a good thing that the Minnesota Timberwolves' Jaylen Clark shared a peek at how profitable becoming an NBA player really is.
Clark explains how NBA players monetize their identity
Clark recently made waves by revealing that NBA players receive the same licensing paycheck every year. This year, the figure climbed to $385,000 each. In all fairness to the Wolves shooting guard, he also explained why that was the case, giving fans the necessary education in the process.
"Instead of LeBron James making $30 million, all the players came together and said we're going to include everybody. Everybody gets an equal share, no matter if you're the top dog on the team or the bottom dog, we all get the same among of licensing checks," Clark said.
It really looked like JC was not doing that for show, but to explain the development of licensing check distribution to the players. For over two decades before 2017, the process was pretty straightforward. The NBPA basically "rented" the collective group licensing rights to the league. The Association was then allowed to broker and manage the deals.
Fortunately, the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) stopped that process during the 2017 CBA negotiations. The union completely reclaimed control over the players' names, numbers, and images to maximize revenue independently.
They then created an initiative called Think450. "450" represented the number of players holding active roster spots in the league (15 on 30 teams). Instead of relying on the league to mediate on their behalf, Think450 began handling the licensing deals themselves. The NBPA's innovation engine struck deals with Take-Two Interactive (the makers of NBA 2K), trading card manufacturers, Nike, and others. This allowed the licensing check payouts to grow to $385,000 per player, as Clark showed.
In 2026, the NBPA rebranded "Think450" as Plyrs Untd., aiming to maximize each player's revenue more than the first initiative did. It also included retired players, many of whom video game companies often feature in history modes.
No reason for NBA players to be broke
385,000 is only a fraction of the money some of these players signed up for, but it's still an absolute game-changing sum. Imagine making nearly 40 percent of a million without breaking a sweat!
That's why, as many fans noted, there is no reason for NBA players to tell sob stories about how 'their millions are not really millions.' It's time for them to be accountable and more responsible in how they handle their finances. The NBPA did a fine job in creating another revenue stream, and it's time for the players to capitalize on that by being smart about every cent.
