NBA salary: how it compares to Australian pay and awards
NBA salaries are enormous by Australian standards. See how they stack up against the national line, award rates and the national minimum wage.
An NBA player's average salary of around $10.2 million (USD) is roughly 94 times the Australian full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings index of 100 ($108,352).
What is an NBA salary in Australian terms?
The keyword "NBA salary" usually brings up figures that sound astronomical to Australian ears. The National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States is a billion‑dollar league, and its players are paid accordingly. But how do those numbers sit against the Australian pay landscape – the national line, award rates, and the national minimum wage?
Using the Salary Index, we can compare any gross annual salary to the Australian full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings benchmark. That benchmark, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Average Weekly Earnings for May 2026, is $2,083.70 per week, annualised to $108,352. That figure is set at index 100. Everything else is a multiple or fraction of that line.
NBA salary figures from the search
A recent article on compared NBL and NBA pay. It reports that the average NBA salary for the 2024‑2025 season is approximately US$10.2 million per year, with a minimum of US$1,157,153. The top earner, Stephen Curry, receives about US$56 million in salary alone, plus another US$100 million from endorsements.
These are US dollars. At a typical exchange rate of 0.66 USD per AUD, the average NBA salary converts to roughly A$15.5 million. That is about 143 times the Australian national line of $108,352 – an index of 14,300. Even the NBA minimum of US$1.16 million (around A$1.75 million) gives an index of about 1,600.
Contrast with Australian award rates and the national minimum wage
The angle here is awards versus the national minimum wage. Australia's national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, annualised to $52,255 – index 48.2. That is less than half the national line. The entry‑level award floor is $25.74 per hour. Modern awards set higher rates for specific occupations, but even the highest award classifications rarely exceed index 120.
An NBA rookie earning the league minimum of US$1.16 million would earn about 22 times the Australian national minimum wage. That gap is far wider than any difference between award rates and the minimum wage in Australia.
NBL salaries – the Australian basketball benchmark
For a more local comparison, the same article states that the NBL (Australia's National Basketball League) average salary is around A$100,000 per year, with a minimum of about A$80,000. The top NBL star, Bryce Cotton, reportedly earns about A$400,000. Those figures sit much closer to the Australian national line:
- NBL average $100,000 → index 92 (below the national line)
- NBL minimum $80,000 → index 74
- NBL top $400,000 → index 369
So while an NBL player on an average salary earns slightly less than the typical Australian full‑time worker, an NBA player on an average salary earns more than 140 times that worker.
How the Salary Index helps
The Salary Index converts any gross annual salary into a simple number relative to the national line. For example:
- National minimum wage: $52,255 → index 48.2
- NBL average: $100,000 → index 92
- National line: $108,352 → index 100
- NBA minimum (AUD): ~$1.75 million → index ~1,600
- NBA average (AUD): ~$15.5 million → index ~14,300
This makes it easy to see where a pay figure sits against the broader Australian workforce.
What about awards and super?
Australian awards and the national minimum wage are set by the Fair Work Commission. They apply to employees in the national system, not to professional athletes in US leagues. However, if an Australian employer were to offer a salary comparable to an NBA player, that salary would far exceed any award classification. The super guarantee of 12% (from 1 July 2026) would apply to ordinary time earnings up to the maximum contribution base of $270,830 – a trivial cap for such high incomes.
For more on how different industries compare, or to see state‑by‑state benchmarks, explore the Salary Index.
Key takeaways
- NBA salaries are in a completely different league to Australian pay. The average NBA player earns more in a week than most Australians earn in a year.
- The NBL, Australia's top basketball competition, pays its players around the national average – well above the minimum wage but far below NBA levels.
- The Salary Index provides a clear way to compare any salary, from the national minimum wage to the highest NBA contracts, against the Australian full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings benchmark.
If you're curious about how other high‑profile salaries stack up, check our topics page or read about pay guides for specific industries.
Questions people ask
How does an NBA salary compare to the Australian national minimum wage?
The NBA minimum salary of about US$1.16 million is roughly 22 times the Australian national minimum wage of A$52,255 per year (index 48.2). Even after converting to Australian dollars and accounting for tax, an NBA rookie earns many times more than the highest Australian award rate.
Is there an Australian award for NBA players?
No. The NBA is a US‑based league and its players are not covered by Australian modern awards or the national minimum wage. Australian basketballers in the NBL are covered by the NBL Collective Bargaining Agreement, which sets minimum salaries around A$80,000 – well above the national minimum wage but far below NBA levels.
What would an NBA salary look like on the Salary Index?
Using the average NBA salary of US$10.2 million (roughly A$15.5 million at current exchange rates), the index would be about 14,300 – meaning the average NBA player earns 143 times the Australian full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings benchmark of $108,352 (index 100).