The 2025 NBA Draft is now underway at Barclays Center, with a fresh crop of young talent hoping to make their mark on the league.
For these prospects, hearing their name called is just the beginning. Along with the chance to live out their NBA dreams, they also secure lucrative rookie deals.
So, how much money does each draft pick actually make? Here’s a breakdown of the NBA’s rookie salary scale.
Understanding How NBA Draft Picks Get Paid
Not all rookie contracts are created equal. First-round picks sign a two-year deal with team options for years three and four. However, salaries vary based on draft position. First-round picks receive guaranteed contracts based on the NBA’s rookie wage scale, which is part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Second-rounders, on the other hand, do not fall under the same structure. Their contracts are typically negotiated on a case-by-case basis, and many end up on two-way deals.
In 1994, the last year before the NBA rookie wage scale, Glenn Robinson was given a guaranteed deal worth an inflation adjusted $120 million.
Tonight’s No. 1 pick, Anthony Edwards, is guaranteed $20 million! pic.twitter.com/U2fe7q1puB
Even within the first round, there’s a sliding scale. According to the NBA’s latest collective bargaining agreement, “Within a particular Rookie Salary Scale, a first round pick’s applicable Rookie Scale Amounts are determined by the player’s selection number in the NBA Draft.”
Simply put, the higher the pick, the bigger the paycheck. So, how much can the 2025 NBA Draft class expect to earn?
Rookie Salaries for 2025 First-Round Picks
The first-round picks of the NBA Draft can earn as high as 120% of the Rookie Scale and as low as 80%. Here’s how much the first-round picks will earn in their first season in 2025, according to Spotrac:
- No. 1: $13,825,920
- No. 2: $12,370,200
- No. 3: $11,108,880
- No. 4: $9,069,840
- No. 5: $8,237,640
- No. 6: $7,520,040
- No. 7: $6,889,200
- No. 8: $6,332,520
- No. 9: $6,016,080
- No. 10: $5,715,120
- No. 11: $5,429,520
- No. 12: $5,429,520
- No. 13: $5,157,960
- No. 14: $4,900,320
- No. 15: $4,655,040
- No. 16: $4,422,360
- No. 17: $4,201,080
- No. 18: $3,991,320
- No. 19: $3,811,560
- No. 20: $3,658,800
- No. 21: $3,512,520
- No. 22: $3,372,240
- No. 23: $3,237,480
- No. 24: $3,108,120
- No. 25: $2,983,320
- No. 26: $2,884,560
- No. 27: $2,801,280
- No. 28: $2,783,880
- No. 29: $2,763,960
- No. 30: $2,743,800
The values above represent 120% of the rookie scale, and the salary increases with each year. The total contract value of the first overall pick in 2025 will be $62.73 million, while the 30th pick will get $14.09 million over the course of their four-year deal, according to Spotrac. These figures are projected and based on an assumed salary cap for the 2025-2026 season.
In the 2024 NBA Draft, the first overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, signed a $57 million contract with a first-year salary of $12.57 million, while the 30th overall pick received a $12.81 million deal with a $2.49 million rookie salary.
It has been reported that Johnny Furphy’s rookie year NBA Salary is $1.85 million💰 pic.twitter.com/pxyGclDS0O
– Jayhawks In The NBA (@NBA_Jayhawks) July 7, 2024
That pay gap between rounds highlights just how much draft position matters. While first-rounders often walk into the league with guaranteed millions, second-round picks face a tougher road financially.
Just look at 2024’s Cole Bishop, the 60th overall pick in the NFL Draft, who signed a four-year deal worth $6.5 million with the Buffalo Bills, but with only $1.58 million guaranteed. Meanwhile, 35th pick Johnny Furphy secured $6.1 million guaranteed in an $8.5 million deal with the Indiana Pacers.
As the 2025 NBA Draft unfolds, rookies won’t just be celebrating their basketball dreams coming true. They’ll also be cashing in on the biggest financial moment of their young careers.
