Business Pundit

Earlier this month, Forbes’ Tom Van Riper posted an excellent article about Beijing’s richest Olympians. I summed up Van Riper’s Top Ten list–the original, a must-read, includes more detailed sponsorship information–and added outside research to put the Olympians’ exhorbitant incomes into context.

Here’s the list, from richest to…poorest? I think not:

1. Kobe Bryant, basketball player from the United States.
Income: $39 million/year

This Lakers and NBA MVP rakes in millions through sponsorship contracts and an LA Lakers contract worth more than $130 million.

Recently, $39 million also went to:
–Dallas Cowboys’ free safety Ken Hamlin, who just won a 6-year contract for $39 million.
–Tennessee Titans right tackle David Stewart and New York Rangers defenseman Wade Redden won similar 6-year contracts.
–Mobile virtual operator Helio, who just received that amount in a Virgin Mobile buyout.

2. LeBron James, basketball star from the United States.
Income: $38 million/year

Nicknamed “The Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated, James turned the Cleveland Cavaliers into a household name. He’s 24 years old.

$38 million also went to:
–Victims of Minneapolis’ Interstate 35 bridge collapse, which killed 13 people in 2007.
–Cell phone manufacturer GreatCall, in a third round of funding.
–Rush Limbaugh, every year, for the next 8 years.

3. Ronaldinho, soccer star from Brazil.
Income: $37 million/year

Brazil’s second phenomenal Ronaldo got $42 million for signing with FC Barcelona. He’s also rolling in endorsements.

$37 million also went to:
–Canada’s Horseshoe Valley Resort, after it was bought out by Skyline International.
–Two dozen states, from the CVS pharmacy chain, after it billed Medicaid patients too much for an antacid.
–The largest homeless program in VA history.

4. Roger Federer, Swiss tennis star.
Income: $35 million/year

12 Grand Slam titles—including 5 Wimbledons—are only part of what make Federer eligible to be the greatest tennis player in history. With all those wins, he makes some serious prize money.

$35 million also went to:
–Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, in a seven-year contract.
–Rwanda, from the World Bank, for agricultural improvements.
–Various states during primary and caucus periods, from the US coal industry, to fight legislation that would slow global warming.

5. Yao Ming, basketball player from China.
Income: $28 million/year

China adores Yao. He’ll probably glean another million worth of sponsorships just by gracing the Beijing Olympics.

$28 million also went to:
–UC Berkeley, for helping build a science and technology university in Saudi Arabia.
–Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, in 2007, for 4 months on the job.
–Senator Barack Obama’s campaign, in February, after raising $28 million in funds online in a single month.

6. Dwyane Wade, basketball player from the USA.
Income: $27 million/year

Wade, Miami Heat star and Sports Illustrated’s 2006 Sportsman of the Year, is a seriously accomplished player—at only 26 years old.

$27 million also went to:
–An Egyptian Al Qaeda foot soldier, by the US government, for giving United States intelligence information leading to a 9/11 mastermind’s arrest.
–Victims of last year’s horrendous California wildfires, by donors.
–The St. Regis hotel in Beijing, in a lengthy renovation.

7. Maria Sharapova, tennis star from Russia.
Income: $26 million/year

Tennis skill sells. Sexy blond tennis skill sells even more.

$26 million also went to:
–Anyone with a sound proposal to “advance innovative computational thinking,” from the National Science Foundation.
–Google.org beneficiaries, in grants and investments.
–Job seekers in New York, from the NY State Department of Labor.

8. Dirk Nowitzki, basketball player from Germany.
Income: $25 million/year

This Dallas Mavericks poster boy created Germany’s biggest love affair with an America-based star since Hasselhoff.

$25 million also went to:
–The person who figured out how to remove a billion tons of CO2 from the earth’s atmosphere in a year, from Sir Richard Branson.
–People like you, for giving the United States government tips leading to the capture of terrorists like these guys.
–TV ads by the lefty organizations behind Health Care for America Now, which will soon blitz your TV with ads advocating better healthcare.

9. Jason Kidd, basketball player from the United States.
Income: $20 million/year

Van Riper calls Kidd “one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.” He’s 35 years old, so should soon be enjoying a sweet nest egg.

$20 million also went to:
–Annoying Internet website HotorNot.com, after a buyout by Avid Life Media.
–Someone in Vietnam, for writing a killer business plan.
–Someone in the world, from Google, for offering a private moon mission.

10. Pau Gasol, basketball player from Spain.
Income: $15 million/year

A recent move to the LA Lakers made Gasol Kobe Bryant’s sidekick. More visibility will surely lead to bigger sponsorships.

$15 million also went to:
–IM/blogging company Twitter, from investor Spark Capital, to fund the company.
–Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, from celebrity magazines (this is a ballpark amount), for pictures of their twin babies.
–The John McCain campaign, in March.