Despite Winning 2 Grand Slams, Carlos Alcaraz Earned $1,055,120 Less Than 20-Year-Old Paolo Banchero

Advait Jajodia | 12/10/2023
Despite Winning 2 Grand Slams, Carlos Alcaraz Earned $1,055,120 Less Than 20-Year-Old Paolo Banchero

At merely 20 years of age, Carlos Alcaraz has taken the tennis world by storm. Having already won two Grand Slams, the Spaniard is highly touted to surpass several records held by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Shockingly however, being one of the best tennis players in the world does not result in abundant money. As seen in a post tweeted by Andrew Petcash, Alcaraz has earned significantly less than even NBA sophomore, Paolo Banchero.

Paolo Banchero and Carlos Alcaraz are identical in age. However, despite Banchero’s talents, admittedly, it is safe to say that Alcaraz has been a far more successful athlete than the 20-year-old Orlando Magic forward. And yet, their earnings tell a different story. According to Spotrac, the 6ft 10” NBA star earned $11,055,120. Whereas, Alcaraz, who clinched the World #1 ranking and also won the Wimbledon titles, only earned less, at $10 million.

Carlos Alcaraz is earning less than Paolo Banchero

Carlos Alcaraz has been the tennis phenom who has kept fans excited for the past two years. The youngster won his first Grand Slam during the 2022 US Open and went on to clinch the World #1 ranking. In the 2023 calendar year, Carlitos won the Argentina Open, Indian Wells, Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, and the Queen’s Club Championships.

For his performances in the Grand Slams, the phenom has surpassed all expectations. After withdrawing from the Australia Open, he reached the Semifinals at the French Open & US Open and emerged victoriously at Wimbledon.

All the successes in the world have only been enough to allow Carlos to rack up $10,000,000 in earnings. For perspective, Alcaraz earns as much as the 146th highest-paid player in the NBA, 202nd highest-paid player in the NFL, and 126th highest-paid player in the MLB.

Paolo Banchero signed a four-year, $50.16 million contract when he was selected as the #1 pick of the 2022 draft. Even though he did win the Rookie of the Year award, the former Duke Blue Devil hasn’t witnessed the same level of success as Alcaraz. However, Banchero has managed to earn $1,055,120 more than the tennis sensation.

The massive difference in wages for a tennis professional and an NBA player

Being one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world, the NBA can afford to pay the players a hefty amount. According to Spotrac, the average NBA salary for the upcoming season is going to be $9.7 million. Alcaraz’s $10 million barely crosses the average NBA salary.

Andrew Petcash’s tweet also revealed the wage difference between the 100th-highest-earning tennis player and the 100th-highest-earning NBA player. Australia’s Alexei Popyrin spends 121 hours on the tennis court and only earns $610,087. Whereas, Robert Covington suits up for merely 32 hours and is awarded $12,975,471.

Post Edited By: Tonoy Sengupta
Carlos Alcaraz Paolo Banchero

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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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