This data comes from Sporting Intelligence 'sannual "Global Sports Salaries Survey," whichlooks at the first-team pay for 349 teams across eight different sports in 18 different leagues around the world. All in all, these teams average a combined $22.2 billion in wages annually.
Last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder topped the list with an average annual player salary of $9.3 million during the 2017-18 season. This year, the Thunder clock in at No. 3 in the world rankings but still best all other NBA teams. Of the 25 highest-paid teams in the world, 17 are from the NBA.
In other major North American sports leagues, the San Francisco Giants (No. 27 overall) are the highest-paid Major League Baseball team, the Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 85 overall) top NFL teams, and the Los Angeles Kings (No. 82 overall) are the highest-paid NHL team.
Additionally, Toronto FC (No. 214 overall) tops the list for MLS teams and the Toronto Argonauts (No. 321 overall) leads all CFL teams. The Phoenix Mercury (No. 331 overall) is the highest-paid team in the WNBA — which is the only women's sports league to be featured on the list.
Here are the highest-paid teams in the world based on average salary for their players.
25. New Orleans Pelicans — $7.55 million / €6.64 million (average pay per player)
Jonathan Ferrey/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Jrue Holiday ($26.1 million / €23.1 million)
2017 rank : 10
24. Denver Nuggets — $7.76 million / €6.73 million (average pay per player)
Sean M. Haffey/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Paul Millsap ($29.2 million / €25.9 million)
2017 rank : 21
23. Utah Jazz — $7.80 million / €6.90 million (average pay per player)
David Zalubowski/AP
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Rudy Gobert ($22.7 million / €20.1 million)
2017 rank : 19
22. Detroit Pistons — $7.86 million / €6.96 million (average pay per player)
Leon Halip/Getty Images
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Blake Griffin ($31.9 million / €28.3 million)
2017 rank : 12
21. San Antonio Spurs — $7.88 million / €6.98 million (average pay per player)
Darren Abate/AP
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : DeMar DeRozan ($27.7 million / €24.5 million)
2017 rank : 16
20. Manchester City — $7.89 million / €6.99 million (average pay per player)
Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : English Premier League
Highest-paid player : Kevin De Bruyne ($17.2 million / €15.2 million)
2017 rank : 24
19. Memphis Grizzlies — $8.02 million / €7.10 million (average pay per player)
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Mike Conley ($30.5 million / €27.0 million)
2017 rank : 20
18. Paris Saint-Germain — $8.03 million /€7.11 million (average pay per player)
Reuters
Sport : Soccer
League : Ligue 1
Highest-paid player : Neymar ($41.6 million / €36.8 million)
2017 rank : 5
17. Atletico Madrid — $8.10 million / €7.17 million (average pay per player)
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : La Liga
Highest-paid player : Antoine Griezmann($22.6 million / €20.0 million)
2017 rank : 52
16. Cleveland Cavaliers — $8.26 million / €7.31 million (average pay per player)
Phil Long/AP
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Kevin Love ($24.1 million / €21.3 million)
2017 rank : 2
15. Bayern Munich — $8.36 million / €7.40 million (average pay per player)
Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : Bundesliga
Highest-paid player : Robert Lewandowski ($13.2 million / €11.7 million)
2017 rank : 27
14. Portland Trail Blazers — $8.43 million / €7.47 million (average pay per player)
Sean Gardner/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Damian Lillard ($28.0 million / €24.8 million)
2017 rank : 7
13. Boston Celtics — $8.44 million / €7.47 million (average pay per player)
Christian Petersen/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Gordon Hayward ($31.2 million / €27.6 million)
2017 rank : 13
12. Minnesota Timberwolves — $8.51 million / €7.54 million (average pay per player)
Zhong Zhi/Getty Images
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Andrew Wiggins ($25.5 million / €22.6 million)
2017 rank : 17
11. Charlotte Hornets — $8.59 million / €7.61 million (average pay per player)
Streeter Lecka/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Nicolas Batum ($24.0 million / €21.2 million)
2017 rank : 6
10. Manchester United — $8.60 million / €7.62 million (average pay per player)
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : English Premier League
Highest-paid player : Alexis Sanchez($23.2 million / €20.6 million)
2017 rank : 23
9. Juventus — $8.85 million / €7.84 million (average pay per player)
Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : Serie A
Highest-paid player : Cristiano Ronaldo ($33.9 million / €30.0 million)
2017 rank : 32
8. Miami Heat — $9.26 million / €8.20 million (average pay per player)
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Hassan Whiteside ($24.4 million / €21.6 million)
2017 rank : 26
7. Houston Rockets — $9.85 million / €8.72 million (average pay per player)
Tim Warner/Getty Images
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Chris Paul ($35.7 million / €31.6 million)
2017 rank : 14
6. Toronto Raptors — $9.97 million / €8.83 million (average pay per player)
Tony Dejak/AP
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Kyle Lowry ($31.2 million / €27.6 million)
2017 rank : 11
5. Washington Wizards — $10.0 million / €8.86 million (average pay per player)
Maddie Meyer/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Otto Porter Jr. ($26.0 million / €23.0 million)
2017 rank : 18
4. Golden State Warriors —$10.3 million / €9.12 million (average pay per player)
Ezra Shaw/Getty
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Stephen Curry ($37.5 million / €33.2 million)
2017 rank : 3
3. Oklahoma City Thunder — $10.3 million / €9.12 million (average pay per player)
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Sport : Basketball
League : National Basketball Association
Highest-paid player : Russell Westbrook ($35.7 million / €31.6 million)
2017 rank : 1
2. Real Madrid — $10.6 million / €9.39 million (average pay per player)
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : La Liga
Highest-paid player : Gareth Bale ($23.2 million / €20.6 million)
2017 rank : 9
1. Barcelona — $13.8 million / €12.2 million (average pay per player)
David Ramos/Getty Images
Sport : Soccer
League : La Liga
Highest-paid player : Lionel Messi ($33.1 million / €29.3 million)
2017 rank : 4
Now check out where your teams home court lands among fans favorite NBA arenas.
Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
The best NBA arenas according to fans
See Also: