Basketball is one of the most loved sports and the rise in NBA pedigree since the time of Micheal Jordan is imperative and cannot be overly emphasized. However, apart from being one of the most loved sports, it is one of the sports with which their player have high wage structures.

Moreover, among the basketball cadre is the NBA league format which is the most watched basketball competition among the rest of the basketball community and it is the place where most basketball players want to end up plying their trade

Even the like of Giannis Antetokoumpo who had some lucrative offer to play in European premier basketball clubs like Barcelona, Olympiacos, and Bayern turned down the offer to join the NBA defending champion, Milwaukee Bucks in 2013 reflects the superiority of the NBA towards other leagues in basketball cadre

And while his innate talent has helped Florida’s team to their first NBA triumph in 50 years despite going against the odds where the sportsbooks and Leovegas casinos are fancy their chances on LA Lakers and Miami Heat to be the NBA champion

However, the basketball players' net worths have begun to show the rise in basketball pedigree and the NBA players are at the fore of the basketball player rich net worth, while the league is one of the most viewed sports function on earth, it is by no surprise that players plying their trade in NBA are earning handsomely.

Below are the top three richest active basketball players in 2021, despite the fact that the league can boast of many millionaires, the three players below are the richest active playing basketball players that ply their trade in NBA

Dwight Howard – LA Lakers; ($150 million)

The current LA Lakers defensive player is one of the most celebrated players in the NBA and he has achieved the feat of winning the NBA in 2020 with the LA Lakers.

The American international, Dwight Howard has been present in the NBA All-stars on eight occasions, All-NBA team honors on eight occasions, five times All-Defensive team appearance, and three times Defensive Player of the Year.

Dwight Howard is one of the most popular players in the NBA due to his innate skill set and techniques – while his gameplay and popularity have earned a high return on wages and endorsement which he has used as the basis to accrue more fortune for himself.

The LA Laker player is currently touted to be worth around $150 million where the largest chunk of his net worth is amassed from his wages which are rumored to be around $30 million dollars annually.

James Harden – Brooklyn Nets; ($170 million)

With a glittering career that radiates individual achievement in the league, James Edward Harden is definitely one of the most celebrated basketball players in the NBA, while James Harden journeyed his NBA career from Oklahoma City Thunder through Houston Rockets and now Brooklyn Nets.

The California-born shooting guard has filled his career with the glittering of medals which ranges from winning NBA most valuable player in 2018, nine NBA all-star, six All-NBA team, NBA assist leader in 2017 among many other lucrative individual honors in his name.

James Harden apart from his illustrious NBA career and achievement is a two-time member of the United State National team at the London 2012 Olympics and FIBA World Cup where he got gold medals to his name.

It is no doubt that with these impressive honors that he is one of the richest active NBA players -while his gameplay and shooting techniques have made him one of the most versatile players in the industry that can be deployed as a point guard or shooting guard.

Moreover, with his popularity and skillsets, Harden's net worth has been credited to be around $170 million dollars with which the majority of his fortune is accrued from his wages and endorsement – while the latter is rumored to be around $4 million annually and earlier touted to be around $39 million per year.

LeBron James – LA Lakers; ($500 million)

Definitely, one of the greatest players to ever grace the game – although on numerous occasions has he drawn comparisons with Micheal Jordan on who the greatest NBA player is because of his versatility and techniques.

King James has had one of the most decorated NBA careers with four NBA champions with three different franchises that span Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and LA Lakers, four NBA final most valuable players, four NBA most valuable players, 17 NBA All-stars, 13 NBA first team, 5 NBA All-Defensive team, NBA rookie of the year in 2004, NBA assist leader in 2020 to name few of the honors in his name.

Coupled with his individual award, and exceptional NBA career, LeBron James won two Olympic gold medals with the United States National team in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, while his first Olympic attempt resulted in a Bronze medal in Athens 2004.

However, with such a glittering career, it is no doubt that the Ohio-born LA Laker basketball player is the richest active basketball player in NBA. Though the larger chunks of his fortune are amassed from investment and businesses his service for LA Laker is getting him nothing less than $55 million annually, while his accumulated endorsements are touted to be around $55 million also.

However, with his huge return on wages and endorsements, the former Miami Heat player is rumored to have a net worth of $500 million which places him not only among the richest active basket player but among the richest players to ever play the game of basketball.