Highest Paid NBA Commentators 2024: Annual Salary and Contracts

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is one of the major sports leagues in the world. It is the third most popular league in the United States. The league has given us legends like Micheal Jordan, Lebron James etc. But, the NBA is not all about players, numerous people contribute to its success and one such group of people is commentators. The salary of NBA Commentators is quite low what players are paid but its highest compared to other sports. Stephen Smith is the highest-paid NBA commentators with an average annual salary of $10 Million.

A commentator is the voice of the game, they are known for their poetic way of describing historical events. The beauty of the game is glorified with the voice of the commentators. Stephen A. Smith is the most popular and highest-paid commentator in the NBA. This article will reveal the salary of all the NBA Commentators. 

Stephen Smith is the highest-paid NBA commentators

Highest Paid NBA Commentators List

NameAnnual SalaryPositionContracted Channel
Stephen Smith10 Million USDCommentator and AnalystESPN
Bob Costas7 Million USDMatch Commentator and HostWGN-TV, CBS, NBC Sports
Mike Greenberg6.5 Million USDStudio AnalystESPN, ABC
Tony Kornheiser6 Million USDStudio AnalystESPN
Michael Wilbon6 Million USDStudio AnalystESPN
Al Michaels6 Million USDCommentatorNBC Sports, ABC
Skip Bayless6 Million USDSports Writer and AnalystESPN
Charles Barkley5 Million USDCommentator and AnalystTNT
Michelle Beadle5 Million USDStudio HostESPN
Dan Patrick5 Million USDAnalystESPN, NBC Sports
Jalen Rose3 Million USDHostESPN
Linda Cohn3 Million USDHostESPN
Grant Hill2 Million USDCommentatorNBA TV
Manv Albert2 Million USDMatch CommentatorTNT
Jay Bilas2 Million USDCommentatorCBS, ESPN
Rachel Nichols1.5 Million USDStudio HostESPN
Dan Shulman1 Million USDCommentatorESPN
Kevin Harlan1 Million USDBroadcasterTNT
Ian Eagle400 Thousand USDMatch CommentatorTNT
Rebecca Haarlow50 Thousand USDReporterTNT

What is the Average Earning of an NBA Commentator?

The average salary of an NBA commentator is around 80 thousands US Dollars. In terms of salary per week, it comes to $1500. Most NBA commentators earn around $1 million per year. The well-renowned Commentators of the NBA have lucrative salaries of seven-digit figures. 

NBA Commentators Salary Breakdown

StandardWeekly Salary Monthly SalaryYearly Salary
Average$1500 $6000 $80000 
ExperiencedMore than $2000More than $8000 $100+ Thousand 
EliteMore than $20000More than $80000 1-10 Million USD

List of Elite NBA Commentators

Here are some of the popular and highest-paid commentators in the NBA:

  1. Stephen A. Smith
  2. Bob Costas:
  3. Michael Wilbon
  4. Charles Barkley
  5. Michelle Beadle

Disclaimer: All the facts and figures about NBA commentators salary are based on the analysis, research and reports released by trusted sources.