EuroBasket 2022 saw the best players on the world scene return to the European National Team Championship in a big way. Many of them are Nikola Jokic (his MVP in the NBA for the past two seasons), Giannis Antetokounmpo (his two before MVP) and Luka Doncic (who will be MVP one day, sometimes.

And while they’re great basketball stars, their stratospheric salaries match their importance on the court, but like any list, there are always weird surprises and unexpected players. .

Are you surprised by the presence (or absence) of Eurobasket’s top 10 players?

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)

Salary 22/23: $42,492,492

The Greek power forward is the highest-paid player among all participants in this Eurobasket. In December 2020, he signed a contract extension ($228 million/5 years) with the Bucks that will surpass his $42 million earnings next season and is on the general list of highest salaries in the entire NBA. He ranks eighth.

Rudy Gobert (France)

Salary 22/23: $38,172,414

The presence of a French center on this list should come as no surprise (no wonder he’s the NBA’s “Defender of the Year”). He updated in December 2020 (205M in 5 years). This year, he will make more than $38 million of his, but Minnesota, the team he was traded to this summer, will be paid by the Timberwolves.

Luka Doncic (Slovenia)

Salary 22/23: $37,096,500

Arguably, one of the world’s scene’s greatest stars finally starts making its mark this year. After ending his ‘rookie’ contract, the Mavericks will sign him a juicy renewal in the summer of 2021 (207 million over five years), charging him from just over 10 million to over 37 million a year. And in the last season of his contract (25/26) he practically reaches 50M…

Nikola Jokic (Serbia)

Salary 22/23: $33,047,803

The Serbian center’s case of winning the NBA MVP in the past two seasons is somewhat interesting. He ranks fourth in this classification, making more than 33 million a year, but when he really makes the big leap (he’ll be a player rather than being paid by the NBA) next year, he’ll be with the Denver Nuggets. his renewal comes into effect, top salary: 264 million over 5 seasons!

Bojan Bogdanovic (Croatia)

Salary 22/23: $19,550,000

The veteran Croatian forward is in the final year of a juicy contract signed with the Utah Jazz in July 2019. At his age (33), his new contract doesn’t look very lucrative.

Domantas SABONIS (Lithuania)

Salary 22/23: $18,500,000

The current Sacramento Kings player signed an interesting renewal with the Indiana Pacers in October 2019. 4 years for him in exchange for $75 million. This year he will make more than $18.5 million, and next year he is on track to hit $20 million. Nothing bad…

Evan Fournier (France)

Salary 22/23: $18,000,000

The French shooting guard has benefited from a transfer between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in August 2021. To balance the salary, the Massachusetts franchise offered him a renewal of his 4 years and his 73M, so Fournier was clearly happy to accept it.

Lauri Markkanen (Finland)

Salary 22/23: $16,475,454

A case similar to Fournier. To balance the salary mass in transfers between the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers (and allow the Illinois native to receive something in return), the former decided to sign and trade. This same summer, the Finn has moved on again and it will be the Utah Jazz who will pay him around 16.5 million in salary in 2022/23.

Jusuf Nurkic (Bosnia)

Salary 22/23: $15,625,000

Bosnia failed to advance to the round of 16 draws, but Nurkic deservedly be on this list. The Bosnian center was injured most of last season, but the Portland Trail Blazers presented him with an interesting renewal offer this summer: 70M in four years. This year, he’s billing him over $15 million, and practically in the final year of his contract he’ll reach $20 million.

Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania)

Salary 22/23: $14,700,000

Another Lithuanian center on this privileged list shows the level of the inside game of Spain’s next rivals in the Eurobasket Round of 16. After signing for several stellar seasons in Toronto and Memphis, in the summer of 2021 he moved to New Orleans for his Pelicans, who immediately offered to renew his second year and his $31 million. .