The NBL’s top 14 earners from the 2021-22 season: Matt Dellavedova and Bryce Cotton top the list

The rapid growth of the NBL has put the league’s top players on wages comparable to our AFL and NRL stars. Check out the eye-watering salaries some are on.

Which high-priced stars made the NBL's rich list last season?

The rapid growth of the NBL has put the league’s top players on wages comparable to our AFL and NRL stars.

The Logue Down column can reveal the NBL’s top 14 earners from last season, which highlights the competition’s strength in world-class talent.

The figures obtained by News Corp include the total value of a player’s package, not just what is included under the softcap.

These additional costs include agent fees and marquee allowances.

NBA champion and Boomers veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova heads the list on $900,000 to $1 million, which includes marketing and ambassador roles.

Dellavedova used his one-year stint with United as a springboard back to the NBA, where he has signed a one-year deal at the Sacramento Kings worth $4.1 million (AUD).

He averaged a modest 10.59 points, 4.93 assists and 2.96 rebounds for United, but he provided the league with invaluable exposure.

Dellavedova is one of at least six players that took home over $500,000 in player salary last season.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LIST OF THE HIGHEST SALARIES

This season’s marquee player, Boomers and NBA veteran Aron Baynes, is on a contract worth between $750,000 to $850,000 at the Brisbane Bullets, which includes an NBL ambassador role. Baynes has already attracted two sellout crowds.

This highlights how the NBL has grown in quality in recent seasons, paving the way for player salaries to significantly rise.

Since 2016, the salary cap has increased 55 per cent, from $1.1 million to $1.7 million this season.

The minimum salary has also risen 74 per cent over a six-year period to help the NBL punch above its weight compared to domestic heavyweights like the AFL and the NRL that operate under significantly bigger salary caps due to multimillion dollar broadcast deals.

The NBL only has 10 teams and 120 players compared the AFL’s 18 team and the NRL’s 16 team competitions.

Despite this difference in depth and financial backing, the top 10 NBL players are earning between $400,000 to $1 million a season.

It’s understood there are at least a further six NBL players in the $300,000 to $400,000 bracket last season.

For context, eight AFL players are earning between $900,000 and a million-plus, with Richmond star Dustin Martin the highest earner on between $1.2 to 1.3 million over two seasons.

In the NRL, eight players also take home over a million a season, including two-time premiership-winning Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary as the highest earner on $1.3 million a season.

And while the NBL can’t financially compete with the big dollars on offer in Europe or China, the league remains respected.

Players can earn decent money, and be guaranteed to be paid on time and in full, unlike many overseas competitions.

The flip side of having top end players who are well paid is that the majority of the remaining squad players have salaries that are closer to the minimum wage.

Despite this, the NBL’s playing standard continues to improve. The league is attracting world-class imports and star locals, sparked by the return of NBA champion and Boomers veteran Andrew Bogut to the Sydney Kings in 2018.

The NBL is arguably the second-best league in the world outside of the NBA, especially from an exposure standpoint.

Player salaries have long been a taboo subject in the NBL due to the Players’ Association desire to keep the figures private for the players.

This stance has long given clubs an unfair advantage over the players, who have no knowledge of their market value.

However, individual player salaries are made available to every club at the end of the year.

The secrecy around player wages is why former players like Bogut has called for greater transparency for the betterment of the game.