Victor Wembanyama contract details: How salary of Spurs rookie compares to NBA's highest-paid centers

Scott Rafferty

Victor Wembanyama contract details: How salary of Spurs rookie compares to NBA's highest-paid centers image

NBA contracts sure aren't what they used to be.

When the Spurs selected Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, he signed a three-year, $10.2 million contract. Fast forward almost 30 years, Victor Wembanyama inked a four-year contract that will pay him over $50 million after being selected by the Spurs with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wembanyama's deal still pales in comparison to the likes of Nikola Jokic, LeBron James and Jayson Tatum, but he'll be one of the higher-paid players at his position immediately.

Here's everything you need to know about Wembanyama's rookie contract with the Spurs.

MORE: Victor Wembanyama is built for the hype around Summer League debut

Victor Wembanyama contract details

Wembanyama signed a four-year contract with the Spurs. The first two seasons are guaranteed, and the last two seasons are team options.

Wembanyama's salary will start at $12.2 million and increase to $16.9 million in 2026-27, per Spotrac.

Season Victor Wembanyama's salary
2023-24 $12,160,680
2024-25 $12,768,960
2025-26 $13,376,880 (TO)
2026-27 $16,868,246 (TO)

Wembanyama's rookie contract is worth a total of $55.2 million. For comparison, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Brandon Miller, signed a four-year, $49.4 million contract. The No. 3 pick, Scoot Henderson, signed a four-year, $44.4 million contract.

Where Victor Wembanyama ranks among NBA's highest-paid centers

Wembanyama's contract makes him one of the highest-paid players at his position. Among centers, he ranks 15th in total value and 21st in average value.

Nikola Jokic has the richest contract of any center. Anthony Davis will have the highest average salary when his new extension kicks in.

NBA's highest-paid centers (Spotrac)
Player Years Total Average
Nikola Jokic 5 $276,122,630 $55,224,526
Karl-Anthony Towns 4 $222,656,000 $55,664,000
Joel Embiid 4 $213,280,928 $53,320,232
Rudy Gobert 5 $205,000,002 $41,000,000
Anthony Davis 5 $189,903,600 $37,980,720
Bam Adebayo 5 $163,000,300 $32,600,060
Deandre Ayton 4 $132,929,128 $33,232,282
Jarrett Allen 5 $100,000,000 $20,000,000
Jakob Poeltl 4 $80,000,000 $20,000,000
Jusuf Nurkic 4 $70,000,000 $17,500,000
Onyeka Okongwu 4 $61,980,000 $15,495,000
Isaiah Stewart 4 $60,000,000 $15,000,000
Nikola Vucevic 3 $60,000,000 $20,000,000
Mitchell Robinson 4 $60,000,000 $15,000,000
Victor Wembanyama 4 $55,174,766 $13,793,692
Wendell Carter Jr. 4 $50,000,000 $12,500,000

Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.