Sports Illustrated 50 highest-earning athletes in the U.S.

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sports illustrated 50 highest-earning athletes in the U.S.  ……. tiger …. kobe …… lebron james ….

1

Tiger Woods

Pro Golf

Last Year’s Rank: 1

$22,902,706

$105,000,000

$127,902,706

With close to $800 million in total earnings on and off the course over his 13-year career, Tiger should become the first billion-dollar athlete in the next two years — and he’s still only 32. See Tiger’s sponsors.

2

Phil Mickelson

Pro Golf

Last Year’s Rank: 3

$9,372,685

$53,000,000

$62,372,685

Lefty’s numbers jump thanks to an extra $2 million in FedEx Cup points in ’07 and lucrative appearance fees for his first participation on the Asian Tour in Singapore and Shanghai. See Phil’s sponsors.

3

LeBron James

Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)

Last Year’s Rank: 6

$12,455,000

$28,000,000

$40,455,000

King James has earned $167 million during his five seasons in the NBA, and has his eyes on serious entrepreneurship: He counts billionaire Warren Buffett as a role model and friend.

4

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Boxing

Last Year’s Rank: 21

$20,000,000

$20,250,000

$40,250,000

It’s been a monster year for Pretty Boy, who made $20 million in purse and pay-per-view shares for his fight with Ricky Hatton and another $20 million for his foray into professional wrestling.

5

Kobe Bryant

Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)

Last Year’s Rank: 5

$19,490,625

$16,000,000

$35,490,625

How’s that for a change of tune? He once criticized his teammates; last month Bryant bought each of them $9,000 Swiss watches as a thank you for helping him win his first MVP award.

6

(Tie)

Shaquille O’Neal

Phoenix Suns (NBA)

Last Year’s Rank: 4

$20,000,000

$15,000,000

$35,000,000

Shaq finally unloaded his 2.5-acre Miami estate last fall after having it on the market for more than two years. The buyer? Miami-native (and No. 7) A-Rod, for a reported $27 million.

6

(Tie)

Alex Rodriguez

New York Yankees (MLB)

Last Year’s Rank: 11

$29,000,000

$6,000,000

$35,000,000

Assuming A-Rod plays out his new mammoth 10-year, $275 million deal, he’ll have earned $445 million in base salary alone over the course of what would be a 24-year career.

8

Kevin Garnett

Boston Celtics (NBA)

Last Year’s Rank: 7

$22,000,000

$9,000,000

$31,000,000

KG is the highest-paid of the Celtics’ Big Three; at a total of $56.1 million in salary this season, the trio makes up 74 percent of the Eastern Conference champs’ entire payroll in ’07-08.

9

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

Last Year’s Rank: 12

$17,500,000

$13,000,000

$30,500,000

Hide the Lombardi Trophy. Football’s leading endorser is still king of NFL pitchmen, but little bro Eli — with whom he now regularly shares screen time in TV ads — is creeping up fast.

10

Derek Jeter

New York Yankees (MLB)

Last Year’s Rank: 8

$22,000,000

$8,000,000

$30,000,000

The Yankee captain cut a deal with the tax man in February that allowed him to avoid paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes on his $13 million Trump World Tower condo.

see th full list over @ si

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