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Who are the highest-paid US athletes annually? Shohei Ohtani, Jayson Tatum among list

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is now on the list.

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The best athletes typically get capital-P paid.

Such was the case with Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who recently inked a long-term record-breaking deal that included interesting details.

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NFL quarterback contracts keep getting more and more lucrative, too, with multiple NBA stars also cashing in.

But which players are the highest paid in the United States? Let's take a look, with all numbers via Spotrac:

Who are the highest-paid US athletes annually?

The athletes with the best annual salaries in the U.S. are all playing in the NFL, NBA or MLB. Let's take a look at the top 11 in terms of average annual value:

1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers: $70,000,000

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2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics: $62,786,682

T-3. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers: $58,456,490

T-3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks: $58,456,490

5. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics: $57,246,000

6. Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks: $56,456,400

7. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: $55,224,526

8. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat: $55,116,120

T-9. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves: $55,110,496

T-9. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: $55,110,496

T-11. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: $55,000,000

T-11. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: $55,000,000

Who is the highest-paid NHL player?

The NHL currently is far off from having a player among the top of the crop. Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews has the highest annual average value at $13,250,000.

Who is the highest-paid MLS player?

MLS fares a tad better than the NHL and that's mainly due to one man: Lionel Messi. Messi makes $20.4 million in guaranteed compensation with Inter Miami.

Who is the highest-paid WNBA player?

The WNBA, in terms of average annual value, is led by Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young at $252,420.

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