Yahoo Sports Salary rankings: Which college alumni have made the most money in the NBA?
As March Madness is in full swing, we decided to examine the college alumni who have achieved the greatest financial success in the NBA.
A few years ago, players from North Carolina would have topped the list; however, this has changed significantly. The Tar Heels’ recent inability to recruit star talent, coupled with the influx of Kentucky’s one-and-done players in the NBA, has shifted the landscape.
You can check the salary rankings below. All data since 1990.
Kentucky
Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $3.26 billion
NBA players: 80
Average career earnings: $40,749,376
Highest-paid player: John Wall ($276,580,866)
Duke
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $2.95 billion
NBA players: 76
Average career earnings: $38,879,868
Highest-paid player: Kyrie Irving ($236,774,149)
North Carolina
AP Photo/Eric Draper
Combined salaries: $2.35 billion
NBA players: 64
Average career earnings: $36,704,139
Highest-paid player: Vince Carter ($186,916,012)
UCLA
Jeff Gross/Getty Images
Combined salaries: $2.27 billion
NBA players: 62
Average career earnings: $36,669,663
Highest-paid player: Russell Westbrook ($338,836,512)
Arizona
AP Photo/John Miller
Combined salaries: $1.89 billion
NBA players: 53
Average career earnings: $35,692,603
Highest-paid player: Andre Iguodala ($189,621,801)
Kansas
AP Photo/J. Pat Carter
Combined salaries: $1.73 billion
NBA players: 57
Average career earnings: $30,434,686
Highest-paid player: Paul Pierce ($200,708,312)
Connecticut
Getty Images
Combined salaries: $1.73 billion
NBA players: 30
Average career earnings: $57,614,828
Highest-paid player: Ray Allen ($184,356,410)
Georgia Tech
AP Photo/Chuck Burton
Combined salaries: $1.50 billion
NBA players: 36
Average career earnings: $41,774,678
Highest-paid player: Chris Bosh ($242,110,053)
Georgetown
USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $1.49 billion
NBA players: 27
Average career earnings: $55,530,188
Highest-paid player: Alonzo Mourning ($143,906,333)
Texas
Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $1.42 billion
NBA players: 32
Average career earnings: $44,489,568
Highest-paid player: Kevin Durant ($358,290,587)
Florida
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $1.42 billion
NBA players: 30
Average career earnings: $47,218,958
Highest-paid player: Al Horford ($269,728,232)
Michigan
Duane Burleson/Getty Images
Combined salaries: $1.40 billion
NBA players: 45
Average career earnings: $31,189,715
Highest-paid player: Chris Webber ($178,230,697)
Wake Forest
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Combined salaries: $1.25 billion
NBA players: 21
Average career earnings: $59,692,523
Highest-paid player: Chris Paul ($359,377,385)
Michigan State
Andy Lyons/ALLSPORT
Combined salaries: $1.15 billion
NBA players: 35
Average career earnings: $32,994,521
Highest-paid player: Zach Randolph ($199,124,765)
Louisiana State
USA Today Sports
Combined salaries: $1.04 billion
NBA players: 35
Average career earnings: $29,725,694
Highest-paid player: Shaquille O’Neal ($292,198,327)
Syracuse
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
Combined salaries: $951,593,498
NBA players: 40
Average career earnings: $23,789,837
Highest-paid player: Carmelo Anthony ($240,843,702)
California
USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $897,436,789
NBA players: 20
Average career earnings: $44,871,839
Highest-paid player: Jason Kidd ($187,675,468)
Ohio State
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $882,863,931
NBA players: 23
Average career earnings: $38,385,388
Highest-paid player: Mike Conley ($252,221,596)
Alabama
Scott Wachter /Allsport
Combined salaries: $872,390,848
NBA players: 29
Average career earnings: $30,082,443
Highest-paid player: Antonio McDyess ($116,638,859)
USC
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $823,793,659
NBA players: 25
Average career earnings: $32,951,746
Highest-paid player: DeMar DeRozan ($230,005,700)
Villanova
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $822,758,183
NBA players: 27
Average career earnings: $30,472,525
Highest-paid player: Kyle Lowry ($245,475,379)
Marquette
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $789,817,666
NBA players: 22
Average career earnings: $35,900,803
Highest-paid player: Jimmy Butler ($218,700,628)
Indiana
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $754,802,774
NBA players: 29
Average career earnings: $26,027,682
Highest-paid player: Eric Gordon ($178,199,742)
Memphis
Brett Hansbauer-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $734,018,042
NBA players: 29
Average career earnings: $25,310,967
Highest-paid player: Derrick Rose ($164,537,126)
Washington
AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
Combined salaries: $683,354,019
NBA players: 24
Average career earnings: $28,473,084
Highest-paid player: Brandon Roy ($95,751,295)
Stanford
Phil Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $645,490,386
NBA players: 21
Average career earnings: $30,737,637
Highest-paid player: Brook Lopez ($172,774,768)
Arkansas
AP Photo/Dave Martin
Combined salaries: $613,478,302
NBA players: 31
Average career earnings: $19,789,623
Highest-paid player: Joe Johnson ($217,468,696)
Maryland
Jamie Squire/Allsport
Combined salaries: $609,045,877
NBA players: 29
Average career earnings: $21,001,582
Highest-paid player: Steve Francis ($103,501,131)
Oklahoma
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Combined salaries: $602,987,085
NBA players: 15
Average career earnings: $40,199,139
Highest-paid player: Blake Griffin ($261,338,564)
UNLV
Todd Warshaw/Allsport
Combined salaries: $581,827,219
NBA players: 22
Average career earnings: $26,446,692
Highest-paid player: Shawn Marion ($134,936,762)
