Cover Nikola Jokić$278MRising Connor McDavid▲Rising Alejandro Rioja▲
Vol. 8 · TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2026SubscribeContribute
Absolute Baller.
Cover Story · Money

Nikola Jokić Turned Down $278M — He Wants $359.5M Instead

Nikola Jokić has been eligible for a $278M supermax extension since June 2026 and hasn't signed. Waiting a year gets him a $359.5M deal — the richest in NBA history.

By Absolute BallerSEP 29, 20267 min read
Read the Cover
$278Mthe 4-year supermax extension he's been eligible for since June 2026 — still unsigned
$359.5Mthe 5-year deal he can get instead by waiting for 2027 free agency, an NBA record
3xNBA MVP, won in 2021, 2022 and 2024

Also In This Issue

04 Features

The Baller Index

How the world's top athletes actually built — and kept — their fortunes.

See the Full Index
Illustrated cover art: an abstract basketball beside a bar chart of five ascending bars and a progress track filled roughly five-sixths of the way, evoking a rising contract and a deliberately incomplete maximumMoney

Victor Wembanyama's $252M Extension: Turned Down $50M

Absolute Baller·7 min
Illustration: five stacks of gold coins in steeply descending height, the shortest stack highlighted in red, depicting the widening gap between countries' Olympic medal bonusesMoney

Olympic Medal Bonuses 2026: Team USA Ranks Near the Bottom

Absolute Baller·7 min
Illustrated cover art: an abstract basketball graphic beside a bar chart with one bar jumping sharply above the rest, evoking a sudden pay raiseMoney

Caitlin Clark Net Worth 2026: Salary Raise vs. Nike Deal

Absolute Baller·7 min
Lewis Hamilton smiling in a dark coat, outdoorsMoney

Lewis Hamilton Net Worth 2026: F1's First $100 Million Year

Absolute Baller·8 min
Roger Federer eyeing the ball on a backhand return, headband and racquet in frame, at the 2010 Australian OpenMoney

Roger Federer Net Worth 2026: The Billion That Slipped

Absolute Baller·7 min
Close-up of Kylian Mbappé wearing a France national team jersey during the France v Senegal match at the 2026 FIFA World CupMoney

Kylian Mbappé Net Worth 2026: Inside His ~$250M Fortune

Absolute Baller·8 min

The Baller List

The people we can’t stop watching this issue.

// Standings
Rk
Name
Sector
Mv
01

Connor McDavid

Center, Edmonton Oilers

Money
▲
02

Alejandro Rioja

Founder

Business
▲
03

Sarah Kugelman

Founder & CEO

Money
▲
04

Darren Darnborough

Actor · Co-Founder

Culture
—
05

Kerrie Campbell

Founder & Coach

Culture
—
The Newsletter

One story a week — the boldest moves, the lessons worth stealing. Free.

No spam · Unsubscribe anytime

Latest

From the Desk
Illustration: a majority ownership stake shown as a red-and-gray stadium ringMoney

Athletes Who Own Sports Teams: The 2026 List

Absolute Baller·7 min
Coco Gauff preparing to serve, racquet and ball raised, on a blue hard courtMoney

Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2026: No Women in Forbes Top 50

Absolute Baller·7 min
Floyd Mayweather standing on the scale at the 2015 weigh-in for his fight against Manny Pacquiao in Las VegasMoney

Floyd Mayweather Net Worth 2026: Why Nobody Agrees

Absolute Baller·8 min
Stephen Curry looks upward mid-game in a white Golden State Warriors jerseyMoney

Stephen Curry Net Worth 2026: Inside His $240M Fortune

Absolute Baller·7 min
Serena Williams follows through on a forehand in a Nike kit during a match at the 2013 US OpenMoney

Serena Williams Net Worth 2026: Richest Female Athlete

Absolute Baller·7 min
Canelo Álvarez in a suit and open-collar shirt, photographed in Mexico City in 2013Money

Canelo Álvarez Net Worth 2026: Inside His $300M Fortune

Absolute Baller·8 min
The Newsletter

Inspiring stories in your inbox, every week.

One baller story, one lesson worth stealing, and the boldest moves of the week. Free. No spam, ever.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY · UNSUBSCRIBE ANYTIME