Yesterday, the sports world absolutely shut down when LeBron James finally announced where he was going. The former Los Angeles Lakers star was the top name in the NBA Free-Agent Class, and after NBA fans waited all summer long for the future Hall of Famer to announce where he was going, James finally decided on the Philadelphia 76ers.
James is, of course, one of the best basketball players of all time, as he won four NBA championships, has scored the most points in NBA history, and is among the leaders in pretty much any NBA stat. Now, he will take his talents to Philadelphia, signing a two-year, eight-million-dollar contract.
On3 Sports' Jamie Shaw reported after the news broke about James that there are a few college basketball players now whose contract earnings are higher in 2026-27 than James', and one of them is Louisville’s Flory Bidunga.
Flory Bidunga's eye-popping NIL valuation is even more eye-popping
James made it clear this offseason that it wasn’t about money. The future 76er wanted to compete for an NBA championship, and it was clear the top destinations were Cleveland, Miami, and Philly. Louisville fans would have loved to see James team up with former Louisville basketball legend Donovan Mitchell, but instead James reunites with 2024 Paris Olympian teammate Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
James' contract is an absolute steal for the Sixers, as they got him for just $8 million for two years, and in 2026-27 James will make 3.88 million, meaning Bidunga’s 2026-27 contract earnings are higher than LeBron James contract earnings.
Among other players over $4M in 2026-27:
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) July 24, 2026
Kansas’ Tyran Stokes
Louisville’s Flory Bidunga
St. John’s Tounde Yessoufou
Florida’s Thomas Haugh
More: https://t.co/Mn9k8HIrRA https://t.co/mPbMTeQshp
It is unbelievable to think Bidunga is making more than one of the best players in the world, but that shows how special this 5-star transfer is. The expectations are high when you have an NIL Valuation of $6 million, according to On3 Sports, but the Kansas transfer is ready to make a statement this upcoming season with the Cardinals.
Bidunga transferred to Louisville, ranked as the No. 1 overall transfer in the Transfer Portal after winning the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award and making the All-Big 12 First-Team after averaging 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.
Not many college basketball players get to say they have a higher 2026-27 contract earning than LeBron James, but Bidunga is one of them. The Kansas transfer is poised for a breakout season with the Cardinals, and with a contract like that, hopefully he can help Louisville cut down some nets.
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