Even if Gilgeous-Alexander won't reach that milestone, the NBA's richest players grow even richer. When former MLB pitcher Nolan Ryan became the first professional athlete to sign a contract that would pay him a million dollars per year in 1979, it was the day's top sports story in The New York Times.

Khaman Maluach (Phoenix Suns; South Sudan; ties to Uganda), who was selected 10 th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, becoming the highest-drafted former NBA Academy Africa and Basketball Africa League (BAL) player ever.