With how high NBA player salaries have been going for the past couple of seasons, we thought it would be compelling to look at the high-level players in the past who were never in the upper echelon of salaries. Specifically, we are taking a look at the best players – the NBA stars – who were never in the Top 20 in player salaries in any given season.
Sometimes, these players were unselfish and sacrificed taking a lower salary to play for a winning franchise, and other times, these players were simply unlucky.
Here is a list that includes 24 players over the decades, including a league MVP in Steve Nash and Finals MVPs such as Tony Parker and Chauncey Billups.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 28 in 2011-12
Salary that season: $14,200,000
Stephen Dunn /Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 41 in 1990-91
Salary that season: $1,650,000
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 86 in 2004-05
Salary that season: $6,250,000
Al Bello/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 32 in 2013-14
Salary that season: $14,100,538
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Highest rank: No. 34 in 2014-15
Salary that season: $13,701,250
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Highest rank: No. 28 in 2013-14
Salary that season: $14,312,125
Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Highest rank: No. 27 in 2012-13
Salary that season: $14,107,492
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Highest rank: No. 38 in 2015-16
Salary that season: $14,260,870
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 32 in 1990-91
Salary that season: $1,785,000
Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Highest rank: No. 23 in 2012-13
Salary that season: $15,000,000
Tim DeFrisco /Allsport
Highest rank: No. 51 in 1990-91
Salary that season: $1,519,000
NELL REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 46 in 2005-06
Salary that season: $10,075,000
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 33 in 2009-10
Salary that season: $13,125,000
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 41 in 2016-17
Salary that season: $17,000,000
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 38 in 2017-18
Salary that season: $21,000,000
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Highest rank: No. 31 in 2010-11
Salary that season: $13,500,000
Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 78 in 1990-91
Salary that season: $1,200,000
AP Photo/Mark Duncan
Highest rank: No. 32 in 1993-94
Salary that season: $2,850,000
STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 42 in 1997-98
Salary that season: $4,702,000
Gary Dineen /NBAE/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 26 in 1997-98
Salary that season: $5,510,000
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 41 in 2014-15
Salary that season: $12,909,090
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 54 in 2006-07
Salary that season: $9,296,874
Tim Bradbury/Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 103 in 2014-15
Salary that season: $7,238,606
Getty Images
Highest rank: No. 65 in 2013-14
Salary that season: $9,317,280
