The Major Leagues: 18 Top Athlete Philanthropists

In 2021, Forbes reported that the top 50 sports stars combined made nearly $2.8 billion. Even during a time when the world slowed down and many major sports events were canceled because of the pandemic, the world’s top earning athletes across basketball, football, soccer and more took home larger sums than ever before. Part of this explosion is because of endorsement deals, which continued to soar whether breakfast was served at Wimbledon or not. Just over $1 billion of that $2.8 billion that came from endorsement deals and other off-the-field endeavors.

NBA players are, on average, the highest-paid athletes in the world. The average salary in the NBA for the 2021-2022 season is $7.3 million. The top 10 highest salaries in the NBA for the 2021-2022 season are all upward of $39 million, with familiar names like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James at the top of this list.

But top athletes from other leagues are also earning unprecedented sums. On the baseball field, the top 11 earning MLB players will make $380 million during the upcoming 2022 season. And when it comes to football, thanks to the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement, players now get at least 48% of all league revenue. In 2018, the NFL made roughly $16 billion in revenue.

Some top-earning stars have already begun to donate, but with the bulk of their attention focused on their playing careers, these figures have plenty of time to iron out and deepen their giving interests later — a common path for philanthropists from all backgrounds. And beyond money, many of these players also leverage their social media platforms, their brands, and their overall celebrity to support fundraising and draw attention to any number of causes.

In recent years, we’ve compiled lists of philanthropic athletes, league by league, including the NBA, the NFL, MLB and more. But for the first time, here is a list of some of the top earning athlete givers across professional sports, including basketball, baseball, hockey, football and tennis. While they’re not in any particular order or ranking — it can be difficult to tell how much these athletes are donating out of their own pockets — those on the list were added because they are highly paid and are already developing a track record of giving that may grow down the line.

Basketball (NBA)

“I think [education] is probably the lane I’m excited about most that these players chose to influence. There used to be some sort of jock undercurrent. If you weren’t the best student, or you didn’t necessarily graduate from college, your influence here wasn’t necessarily important. But I’m glad that that glass ceiling is shattering. And not just in the NBA, but the sports world as a whole,” — Jalen Rose, former NBA player turned longtime ABC/ESPN analyst, in a 2020 interview.

LeBron James

Though coming off a disappointing Los Angeles Lakers season, Lebron James is still arguably the best player in the NBA at nearly 40 years old. Thirty-four of his 509 games scoring 30 points or more came in the 2021-2022 season — but I’ll spare you any more nerdy stats. Off the court, LeBron has led the way as one of the leading voices of his generation of athletes in speaking up about social issues. And his LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) invests time, resources and attention in the kids of LeBron’s hometown of Akron, Ohio.

James and his business partner Maverick Carter notably donated $2.5 million to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. LeBron also partnered with comedian Kevin Hart and others to form More Than a Vote, an organization that supports African American voter registration and addresses voter suppression.

Stephen and Ayesha Curry

Hoping to return for game 1 of the 2022 Playoffs, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors started a formal foundation a few years ago with Ayesha Curry called the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, which focuses on the vital pillars for a healthy childhood. In the education space, the foundation has linked up with organizations like Oakland Promise Initiative, College Track and East Oakland Youth Development Center.

Foundation CEO Chris Helfrich breaks down some of the early aims of Eat. Play. Learn: “We are not going to do this alone. We want to align with organizations already doing incredible work in our community, and in partnership, create collaboration opportunities that take the best of what those organizations have to offer, and also add in some ‘Curry magic.’” That “magic” doesn’t just come in the form of funds, but also from the Curry family’s time, voice and networks.

Kevin Durant

It seems the Brooklyn Nets are the team no Eastern Conference top seed wants to meet in the playoffs. Let’s see what Kevin Durant and his superstar partner in crime Kyrie Irving can do. Off the court, Durant started Kevin Durant Charity Foundation (KDCF), which aims to enrich the lives of at-risk youth through educational, athletic and social programs. KDCF committed $10 million over 10 years to create College Track at the Durant Center in Durant’s hometown of Prince George’s County, Maryland. KDCF also runs Team Durant, a youth basketball program that “provides coaching, mentorship and character development for 15 boys and girls teams for ages eight to 17.” Durant also backs his alma mater, UT Austin.

Basketball (WNBA)

“I played very late, all the way until I was 40 years old. One thing that I knew is that I didn’t want to become a basketball coach. This is often the most comfortable thing, but I knew I didn’t want to do that.” — Clarisse Machanguana, former WNBA player, in a recent interview.

Maya Moore

Four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore announced that she would be taking a break from sports to address social justice issues. She made her way to Jefferson City Correctional Center in Missouri and became a champion of Jonathan Irons, a Black man who was sentenced to a half-century in prison as a teenager for a crime he did not commit. In 2020, with Moore’s help, Irons was released from prison. Moore continues to advance her cause through Win for Justice, a project that aims to advance a fair and equitable criminal justice system.

Elena Delle Donne

The Washington Mystics forward started the Elena Delle Donne Foundation to raise funds for and awareness of Lyme disease research and special needs programs. She also works with the Global Lyme Alliance. This cause is personal. Delle Donne herself contracted Lyme disease in 2008. Her older sister was born with cerebral palsy and autism. The foundation offers sports camps that allow non-disabled athletes to play alongside Special Olympics athletes.

Sue Bird

Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird entered the WNBA in 2002 and is still lacing up her shoes. Bird has said she hasn’t started her own foundation yet because she prefers to be hands-on. But she does have a particular interest in advocating for children, including working with the Boys & Girls Club of King County. Married to soccer superstar Megan Rapinoe, the couple works with Athlete Ally, whose mission is to end homophobia and transphobia in sports and activate the athlete community.

National Football League

“I don’t like to use the word ‘less fortunate,’ but I didn’t have a whole lot growing up. So I knew how it felt when someone would show up for you.” — Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers hall of famer, told IP.

J.J. Watt

J.J. Watt launched the J.J. Watt Foundation, which serves schools in Wisconsin, Texas and beyond, funding after-school athletics programs. Watt stepped up after Hurricane Harvey and helped raise some $41.6 million for relief efforts. In 2020 alone, the foundation has served over 100 schools in states including Oklahoma, Vermont, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Watt also helped to pay for the funerals of victims of the 2018 Santa Fe School Shooting.

Ndamukong Suh

The Ndamukong Suh Family Foundation (NSFF) seeks to advance education, health and wellness, and international outreach within the community. NSFF hosted a training camp for youth from Overtown Youth Center (OYC), a youth development agency co-founded by Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning. Suh also donated $2.6 million to his alma mater, the University of Nebraska, bankrolling an engineering scholarship. “I’ve always believed heavily that they [my family] paid it forward… so it’s kind of my focus to do the same, as well as being able to have a great platform to do that because of sports,” Suh told me.

Richard Sherman

Outspoken cornerback Richard Sherman went from Compton, California, to Stanford University and was drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. His Blanket Coverage, the Richard Sherman Family Foundation, equips students from low-income communities with the necessary tools for success.

Tennis

“Initially, my plan in 2005 was to do a one-time memorial event for my father, who passed away the year before. Things didn’t turn out that way.” — retired American tennis star James Blake.

Serena Williams

Serena — also known as the GOAT — launched the Serena Williams Fund (SWF) to provide assistance to youth whose families have been affected by violent crimes, as well as to assist college-bound youth from low-income backgrounds in receiving the highest quality education possible. Serena lost her half sister to gun violence, and these personal experiences drive her philanthropy.

Serena has invested in the work of the Caliber Foundation, in support of families and victims affected by gun violence. She also made a UNICEF trip to Africa, witnessing firsthand how challenging it is for young girls to access basic education. SWF has partnered with UNICEF on a number of campaigns focused on education in Africa.

Her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is also ramping up his giving. He recently launched 776 Foundation, offering a fellowship that will give $20 million to young people over the next decade to work on climate solutions.

John Isner

The American known for five set matches — including an 11-hour-plus epic in England — recently launched the Isner Family Foundation to provide support to hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Isner’s own mother is a two-time cancer survivor. Though Isner hails from North Carolina, he’s settled in the Dallas area and explains why he launched a foundation focused on this region now: “I think mainly it’s because I have definite roots now in Dallas, Texas. This is where my family is going to be. Also on top of that, I’ve gotten to know a lot of nice people in this town, and I think it’s just a good opportunity for me, for my family, to do a lot of good.”

Sloane Stephens

Considered one of the best young American female tennis stars, Stephens won her first Grand Slam title at the 2017 U.S. Open. Stephens gives through the Sloane Stephens Foundation, which assists in developing a constructive future for young people by providing educational opportunities and encouraging healthy lifestyles, proper nutrition, and participation in physical fitness activities. In 2015, the foundation launched “Love, Love Compton,” in conjunction with Compton school administrators, principals and teachers, to provide an ongoing model that builds on the educational foundation of the school district, with an athletic component.

Major League Baseball

Gerrit Cole

In late 2019, Gerrit Cole signed a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees, becoming the first pitcher to secure a $300 million or more contract. Cole met his wife Amy at UCLA, and together, they launched the Gerrit and Amy Cole Foundation in 2020. The charity focuses on pediatric cancer research, childhood hunger, education, arts education and youth athletics.

Ozzie Abies

This second baseman with the Atlanta Braves started the Ozzie Abies Foundation, which promotes and facilitates the adoption of shelter pets. Back in his home country of Curaçao, Abies often encountered dogs roaming the streets. Today, he helps pets find homes. The foundation partners with organizations like Atlanta Humane Society, and the foundation also works on spay and neuter initiatives.

Kyle Tucker

Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker started the Kyle Tucker Foundation to support and raise awareness for hospice care. Tucker was inspired to focus on this area after the passing of his grandfather. The foundation tends to support charitable organizations in Tampa (his birthplace) and Houston communities.

National Hockey League

Adam Henrique and Brandon Montour

Hockey stars Adam Henrique and Brandon Montour play for the Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers, respectively. But both were born in Ontario, Canada. The duo launched the Henrique Montour Charity Golf Classic and Foundation to support their home communities. The inaugural fundraising event supported the Arnold Anderson Sport Fund’s “Sponsor A Child” campaign, which provides financial assistance in youth sports.

Erik Karlsson

San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson signed a $92 million contract that made him the highest-paid defenseman in league history. He and his wife Melinda established Can’t Dim My Light to combat bullying. The foundation has raised money for Proud to Be Me (PTBM), a charity for children and youth focused on inclusion, empathy, kindness and mutual respect.

Tyler Seguin

Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin founded Seguin’s Stars back in 2013 to support programs focused on physical, emotional and social youth development. Seguin donated a multi-purpose ball hockey court to Boys and Girls Club of Collin County.

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