2 Years Since His Retirement, Carmelo Anthony Still Earns $6 Million From His Endorsements Alone

Given the big bucks in the game and the way the contracts are drawn, NBA stars make millions on the court. And many have a penchant for making big money off the court too, pushing their net worths into hundreds of millions of dollars. When it comes to multi-millionaire ballers, Carmelo Anthony may not be the first name that comes to mind — but it should.

Though he hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022 and officially announced his retirement in 2023, Melo is still making big bucks. On top of that, his shrewd investments have kept his wealth growing. A reported net worth of above $170 million and $262.5 million in career earnings is no fluke. Melo knows the game.

Usually, when players retire, their brand value goes down as they are no longer a frequent face on TV and in the public sphere. Companies show reluctance to continue their partnership as they won’t get the same level of exposure and brand association they enjoyed when the player was in the NBA. However, Melo has successfully managed to keep his brand value intact.

Andrew Petcash, founder of Profluence Sports, recently posted a thread on X, highlighting some of Melo’s smartest business decisions. How he makes money after retirement is indeed something to draw learnings from.

Melo, who was the first athlete signed by the Michael Jordan brand to be given his own signature shoe line, makes around $6 million annually from endorsements alone. He’s associated with brands like Panini, Isotonix, Foot Locker, PowerCoco, and Haute Time.

While the $6 million from endorsements is impressive, this isn’t only or even his biggest source of post-retirement earnings.

The three-time Olympic gold medalist has established several businesses to ensure the money keeps coming in. Petcash provided a deep analysis in his X thread. Needless to say, it’s quite a revelation.

Anthony’s businesses and investments

Melo doesn’t just want to be rich through investments, he wants to be an owner. The 10-time All-Star has his venture firm, Melo7 Tech Partners, a fashion label, STAYME7O, a media production company, Creative 7, and a wine brand, The Seventh Estate.

He has invested $5 million in two restaurants based in New York City, Nobody’s Pizza and Ainsworth. The NBA legend plans to expand his restaurant business by taking it to 20-30 different locations.

Melo was also an early investor in Overtime and is currently a board member. When he first invested in Overtime, it was valued at $100 million. The company’s current valuation is $500 million.

Petcash also reported that Melo “provided a $500K angel check to the phone accessory company,” Mophie, in 2007. Nine years later, Zagg acquired them for $100 million. Melo’s estimated return from his investment is around 800-1000%.

The NBA legend also believes in giving back to the community. He is a philanthropist who has donated millions of dollars to several organizations that work for the betterment of young kids by looking after their education, health, and ambitions.