AJ Dybantsa is yet to play a single NBA game, but the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft is already set to earn nearly as much in his rookie contract as LeBron James made during one of the greatest four-year stretches in NBA history.
According to the NBA’s rookie scale, Dybantsa’s four-year contract is projected to be worth roughly $66.9 million. That is very close to the $67.1 million LeBron earned in salary during his four seasons with the Miami Heat.
The comparison is not about the two players but how the NBA salaries have exploded over the last decade or so.
Dybantsa’s projected salary breaks down to $14.7 million in 2026-27, $15.49 million in 2027-28, $16.22 million in 2028-29 and $20.46 million in 2029-30. Over four seasons, that total is about $66.91 million.
LeBron’s earnings with the Heat followed a slightly different pattern. He made $14.5 million in 2010-11, $16.02 million in 2011-12, $17.55 million in 2012-13 and $19.07 million in 2013-14, which adds up to a total of $67.13 million.
The numbers are almost the same, but their resumes are nowhere close to each other.
By the time LeBron came to Miami, he was already a two-time MVP and the best player in the world. In those four seasons with the Heat, he averaged 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists while shooting 54.3% from the field and 36.9% from three-point range.
He also led the Heat to four straight Finals, won two championships, two regular-season MVPs and two Finals MVPs as well. Along with that, he earned four All-Star selections, made the All-NBA First Team all four years, and was named to the All-Defensive First Team three times while earning one Second Team selection as well.
Dybantsa, meanwhile, is entering the league with massive expectations after an outstanding freshman season at BYU, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 51.0% from the field and 33.1% from three-point range. The Washington Wizards believe he can be the face of the franchise as they look to make a push in the West after acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis in massive trades as well.
But the financial comparison shows how much the league has grown. When LeBron joined the Heat in 2010, the NBA salary cap was roughly set at $59 million. He had to accept less than a maximum salary in order to help the Heat build a Big Three around him, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Fast forward to today, the salary cap for the 2026-27 season stands at $164.9 million, which is nearly triple what it was in 2010. Thanks to the new $76 billion media deal and global agreements, the NBA has exploded into one of the richest leagues in the world.
In fact, the difference is even more shocking when you compare their rookie deals. LeBron’s original four-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers was worth $18.8 million. That means Dybantsa is set to earn nearly $48 million more than LeBron did in his first NBA deal.
None of this suggests Dybantsa will or will not accomplish anything close to LeBron. Instead, it just shows how rapidly NBA salaries have grown over the years. Before stepping onto an NBA court, Dybantsa is set to earn almost exactly what one of the greatest basketball players ever made during a Hall of Fame stretch with the Miami Heat.
