The Rise And Rise Of The Golden State Warriors
— Since drafting Steph Curry in 2009, the Warriors' valuation has grown from $315 million to $8.8 billion..DS8e8kh-_Z1U8KAU.webp)
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Nobody saw this coming in 2010. When Joe Lacob and Peter Guber outbid Oracle CEO Larry Ellison to buy the Warriors in 2010 for a then-record $450 million, many in the NBA world were puzzled. Just seven months earlier, Forbes had valued the team at $315 million, 18th in the league. The arena was aging, attendance was lukewarm, and the team was mediocre at best, having reached the playoffs just once in 15 years. Today, the team is worth $8.8 billion, the highest in the NBA, even ahead of the Lakers and the Knicks — that’s a whopping 1856% increase on the original buying price.
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Chase Center changed everything. The Warriors paid $1.4 billion out of their own pockets to build Chase Center in 2019, and the return on investment has been staggering. According to a 2024 report by Accenture, the 18,000-seat arena has generated $4.2 billion since its opening in 2019, including over $2.9 billion in direct spending and more than $1 billion in recirculated spending. The Warriors remain one of the only NBA teams that fully own their arena.
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The Steph Curry effect - and the championships. The Warriors have been the team of the decade, with six NBA Finals appearances, four championships, and a historic 73-9 season. But it all starts with Steph. When the Warriors drafted Curry in 2009, few could’ve predicted that he would go on to revolutionise the NBA.
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See our previous newslettersThe Los Angeles Lakers are the most popular team on social media.
— In 2024–25, the Lakers averaged 45.5K engagements per post — the highest across all four major leagues. They also boast the largest social media following, with 63.8M followers. Los Angeles’ MLB team, the Dodgers, ranked second in engagement per post across all leagues, followed closely by the Philadelphia Eagles and Golden State Warriors. Based on data from STN Digital, the NFL and NBA generated 82% of top content by total engagements.
Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander Owns the Biggest Paycheck in North American Sports
— Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander just had a 2025 NBA season for the ages. MVP, Finals MVP, scoring champ at 32.7 PPG — then led OKC to a historic title. The reward? OKC rushed to sign him to a 4‑year, $285M super‑extension, giving SGA the highest annual salary across all leagues in North America. Meanwhile, in the WNBA, top earner Jackie Young makes just $252K. With no new CBA, players are pushing for better pay. At the All‑Star Game, WNBA players sent a message during warm‑ups, wearing shirts that read: “Pay us what you owe us.”
Rookie Contracts Have More Than Doubled In The Last Decade
— Rookie Contracts have more than doubled in the last decade. This year, the Dallas Mavericks signed top pick Cooper Flagg to a whopping 4-year $62.7 million rookie contract. In contrast, in 2015, first pick Karl-Anthony Towns' rookie contract was worth just $25.7M – less than half of Cooper's.
Steph And LeBron Are Still The Faces Of The NBA
— Steph and LeBron still rule the league, on and off the court. In 2024–25, the Warriors guard led all NBA players in total earnings, topping both on-court salary ($55.8 million) and off-court endorsements (a whopping $100 million). LeBron James came second overall, earning $85 million off the court and $48.7 million on it. Giannis Antetokounmpo rounded out the top three. Meanwhile, stars like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid cashed in on big contracts, but lagged far behind in off-court income.
French Open 2025 Purse Reaches Record $63 million plus
— The upcoming French Open - the year's second Grand Slam - has announced a record purse of over $63 million, with the men's and women's singles champions each earning close to $3 million. The tournament's prize money has now increased for four straight years following a 10% dip between 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. This year’s purse is around 64% more than that in 2021 ($38.9 million).
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