9 hours ago
How Much Prize Money the NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder Receive
By Ben McKimm - News
Published: 23 June 2025
Share Copy Link
Readtime: 3 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
Players on the NBA Championship winning Oklahoma City Thunder will divide USD$12.4 million ($828,000 per player) in prize money for winning the title. While it's true that there is no set amount of prize money given out to the winners of the NBA Championship, there's a USD$34.7 million Player Playoff Pool of funds made up of ticket sales to incentivise regular season success and playoff wins.
Every team that makes the playoffs receives a portion of the Player Playoff Pool money, and the more wins they have in the regular season, and the further they advance in the postseason, the more money they get.
The team with the best overall record in the regular season is given the largest cut of the pie before the playoffs even start. This is why the NBA Championship winning OKC Thunder will receive all of their USD$12.4 million ($828,000 per player). However, second round exits earn a set amount, conference finals earns slightly more, and those who make it to the finals earn even more. Play-in tournament teams don't get a slice of the pie.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shaivonte Aician Gilgeous-Alexander, also known by his initials SGA | Image: Supplied
While this sum of money would be life-changing to most people walking the earth, NBA players are the highest paid athletes in U.S. professional sports.
NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is about to sign the largest contract in NBA history, valued at five-year USD$380 million, so a few hundred thousand wouldn't change his life. However, other players on the team, including Branden Carlson (USD$496,519), Jaylin Williams ($2,019,699), and Dillon Jones ($2,622,360) would all love a slice of the Player Playoff Pool of funds.
It pays to win, and players who's teams only made the seventh- and eighth-seeds during the regular season have a max potential playoff earning of $719,000 if funds are divided evenly amongst the team.
The NBA leads when it comes to postseason payouts amongst major sports.
NFL maxes out at $357,000 per player during the playoffs.
MLB maxes out at $477,000 per player during the playoffs.
When looking at the numbers broken down by Marca and NBC Sports it paints a full picture for just how much money the teams take home for winning games in the NBA Playoffs this season.
NBA Champion: $4,775,940
$4,775,940 First round: $6,439,658 ($402,479 per player)
$6,439,658 ($402,479 per player) Conference semifinals: $3,831,216 ($478,902 per player)
$3,831,216 ($478,902 per player) Conference Finals: $3,165,594 ($791,398 per player)
$3,165,594 ($791,398 per player) Losing team in the NBA Finals: $3,164,731
The regular season also has a big part to play:
Best overall record: $777,840
$777,840 Best record in conference: $1,361,206 ($680,603 each)
$1,361,206 ($680,603 each) Second-best record in conference: $1,094,078 ($547,039 each)
$1,094,078 ($547,039 each) Third-best record in conference: $816,729 ($408,364 each)
$816,729 ($408,364 each) Fourth-best record in conference: $641,862 ($320,931 each)
$641,862 ($320,931 each) Fifth-best record in conference: $534,822 ($267,411 each)
$534,822 ($267,411 each) Sixth-best record in conference: $364,782 ($182,391 each)
Finally, it's the teams job to determine how they divide the bonus, but still, it pays to win in the NBA.
