Olympians raking in the cash

GOING for gold may be the mantra at Tokyo 2020, but for a certain coterie of elite athletes, who pulled in joint earnings of over $353 million (about R5.2 billion) last year, dripping in gold is par for the course.

In an ultra-competitive world where big talent transacts to big money, these Olympians have smashed, dunked and putted their way to the top of the wealth rankings, often sparking feeding frenzies among big-name sponsors eager for their endorsements.

While the high cost of getting to the Games has seen some athletes turn to crowdfunding campaigns to help pave their way – trainers, state-of-the-art equipment and practice facilities don’t come cheap – others entered the arena with a regality reserved for the one percenters seeking the holy grail of GOAT status rather than a gold medal.

Grabbing top spot on the wealth wagon at the 2020 Olympics is American basketball legend Kevin Durant, the 2.08m giant leading his country’s team both on and off the court.

In fact, being courted by sponsors must be Durant’s favourite pastime, considering big-money brands such as Nike, Google and NBA 2K helped him basket $75m last year.

Just his 10-year deal with Nike guarantees Durant $300m in the bank.

Clearly, scoring hoops for the Brooklyn Nets, at $28.9m per year, is pocket change in comparison to the mega-endorsement deals that the two-time Olympic gold medalist boasts.

Not to take the glister off his two NBA championship rings, that is. Durant does after all stand head and shoulders above most basketball players.

His performance at Tokyo has already won him several plaudits, even though the US team suffered a shock early defeat to France – their first Olympics loss since 2004.

Durant showed sponsors and the world why he is worth every cent on Wednesday in the game against Iran, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals, three blocks and no turnovers.

Single at 32, with a net worth of $175m – and aiming for Olympic-god status – Durant is surely a slam dunk for Bachelor USA 2022.

Coming in at number two is tennis ace Naomi Osaka, the only woman to feature in the upper echelons of sporting high society.

While she may have crashed out of the Olympics this week – the collective “Masaka” (No way!) that rang out in her home country, Japan, echoed the world over – Osaka remains a premium brand.

Her disappointing loss to former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-4 in the third round, sent the stock of Japanese tennis racket maker Yonex, one of her major corporate sponsors, into freefall on Tuesday but it quickly recovered and recouped losses as understanding grew for the World Number 2, who has battled depression and negative publicity since dropping out of Roland-Garros and sitting out Wimbledon.

Osaka smashed earning records for women athletes for the second consecutive

year, pushing past veteran money spinner Serena Williams and former record-holder Maria Sharapova.

At 23, the wunderkind of Haitian-Japanese heritage, amassed $55m in endorsements and $5m in prize money in just 12 months. Little wonder companies such as Google, Louis Vuitton, Workday and Levi’s want her endorsing their products.

Such is Osaka’s Midas touch, Nike consented to allowing her to wear the logos of other sponsors during play, something they have allowed no other athlete to do.

The high-end sportswear brand fought a fierce battle to secure Osaka, who was set to sign a $8.5m deal with Adidas, which would have made her the highest-paid female athlete on the books of the German multinational.

Osaka is also a global ambassador for Japanese car manufacturer Nissan, a deal she clinched on the heels of her becoming the first Japanese player in history to win a women’s singles Grand Slam in 2018.

Japanese electronics firm Citizen Watch helps Osaka keep time and her youth and diversity appeal bring in major cha-ching for beauty giant Shiseido, as their brand ambassador.

Swiss brand TAG Heuer got in on the Osaka game in January this year, naming her their latest ambassador, and Louis Vuitton kept up with what was clearly a fashionable trend by netting her in the same month.

“Aside from tennis, my most treasured passion is fashion, and there is no brand more iconic than Louis Vuitton. To become a global brand ambassador is truly a dream come true for me,” said Osaka.

Her Olympic dream may have ended but with one toss of her red braids, Osaka is a shoo-in for game, set, match in the money stakes.

Adidas can’t pay enough for Portland Trailblazers point guard Damian Lillard, our next big earner.

The company sealed a 10-year, $100m deal with the six-time NBA All-Star for his top-selling footwear line, Dame.

The first-time Olympian came into the Games having earned $40.5m last year thanks to his performance on the court and his music career.

Streaming giant Hulu and 2K Sport also back the high-flying 31-year-old who also goes by the rap alias Dame D.O.L.L.A (Different On Levels the Lord Allows).

Lucrative endorsement deals, as well Lillard’s three studio albums, under his own record label, Front Page Music, have him singing all the way to the bank.

Novak Djokovic smashes into fourth place with $34.5 in his kitty. Fresh off his Wimbledon comeback victory over Matteo Berrettini, the Serbian tennis player ranked Number One in the world is in Tokyo seeking to accomplish something that no man has done before in tennis – completing a Golden Slam.

Steffi Graf is the only tennis player to achieve the Golden Slam in 1988, winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same calendar year.

Djokovic is the only member of men’s tennis’ Big Three set to appear at the Tokyo Games following withdrawals by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Celebrity Net Worth ranks Djokovic’s career earnings aggregate at $220m. He was also the first tennis player to win $100m in prize money and is considered the all-time leader in prize money earnings in tennis.

Sporting ASICS shoes and LaCoste apparel, the Serb ranks 23rd in the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes. Tennis racquet giant Head keeps Djokovic on his game and French motor company Peugeot ensures his wheels are turning. With each volley translating to pure gold at cash registers, the ace of base is a firm favourite among sponsors.

Northern Ireland golfing giant Rory McIlroy scores a hole-in-one at number 5 on the earnings board with $34m in the past year.

The reluctant Olympian, who was very vocal about not wanting to represent his country at the Games, is the darling of Nike and Omega Watches.

McIlroy’s largest on-the-course payday to date was his $15m prize for winning the 2019 FedEx Cup.

A new report ranking the financial prospects of male players predicts McIlroy stands to earn just over $400m during the remainder of his professional career.

“He’s midway through two 10-year contracts (Nike and TaylorMade) with a combined value of $200m and is the namesake of an EA Sports video game. With 6.6m followers, he’s the second most influential golfer on social media,” the report declared.

Seems the golfer’s spot on Sunday Times Rich List – which tracks the 1 000 wealthiest people in the UK – is safe with an estimated fortune of £170m as of last year.

While McIllroy is a “highly endorsable crowd favourite”, he did have his countrymen down in the bunker ahead of the Olympics by saying: “Look, I’m not a very patriotic guy. I don’t know what it would mean (to win a medal). I never dreamed of that. I dreamed of Claret Jugs and green jackets. I never dreamed of winning the Olympics. I’m doing it because I think it is the right thing to do.”

Single at 32, with a net worth of $175m – and aiming for Olympic-god status – Kevin Durant is surely a slam dunk for Bachelor USA 2022