Kobe Bryant is receiving the majority of his salary Friday, netting a casual $24,363,044. While most players get paid throughout the year, Bryant set up his contract with the L.A. Lakers so that he receives a balloon payment on Nov. 1.
The one-time payment is roughly 80 percent of his $30,453,805 salary, which is close to the maximum percentage that NBA players can be paid at one time, reports the LA Times.
Bryant is getting this huge pay day despite the fact that he is currently recovering from an achilles tendon tear. He is projected to be out for a whopping six to nine months.
His current contract expires on June 30, but it’s no mystery that the Lakers are planning on resigning the superstar. They can give him an extension before July anywhere between $1.4 million and a staggering $32.7 million.