Every young athlete dreams of becoming the next big superstar. And, wouldn’t you know it, some actually do—well, in the eyes of some companies, of course. Over the years, there have been a number of teenagers who have been handed millions of dollars thanks to sponsorship deals from their skills in a certain sport. And, whether they lived up to the expectations or not, these are 15 teenagers who still earned a lot of money because of the hype that came with those talents.
Freddy Adu – $3 million/year
Even before signing a $1 million/year deal from Nike while he was still 14 years old, former soccer phenom Freddy Adu was seen as the savior of the sport in the United States. With a reported $2 million more in sponsorship money from other brands, Adu seemed to make more money than most soccer stars who actually enjoyed successful careers, because, sadly, Adu’s days haven’t been as productive or impactful as many believed.
Photo via Flickr/Paul Rudderow
Maria Sharapova – $18 million
For anyone who might doubt the star power of tennis player Maria Sharapova, look no further than Forbes naming the Russian as the highest-paid female athlete various times, with her first nod coming in 2006—at age 19! With numerous sponsorship deals with brands like Nike and Motorola, the five-time Grand Slam singles champ showed that she was going to be a force early in her career.
Photo via Flickr/shinesparkler
Michelle Wie – $40 million
For a long time, female golfer Michelle Wie was often associated with being overrated, failing to bring the sport into the mainstream as many had expected her to. Thankfully, though, 2014 proved that Wie might be figuring it out, as she won the U.S. Women’s Open and finished second in the ANA Inspiration. While she’s 25 years old now, it wasn’t long ago that Nike, among others, handed her a lot of cash to use their products.
Photo via Flickr/arguss1
Sidney Crosby – Undisclosed
While 17 years old, Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby proved that he was well-worth the hype associated with his hockey days by inking a five-year deal with Reebok. Although terms weren’t released, it is believed to have been worth around $2 million per year, initially, with the annual pay increasing with each year. For the trust the brand gave the then teenager, Crosby rewarded them with another big deal after his first expired, making him the face of Reebok on the ice.
Photo via Flickr/mustang>porsche
Andrew Wiggins – Undisclosed
The rookie hoopster of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been talked about as the best thing since LeBron James over the past couple years. Thanks to that type of hype, he had his choice of numerous apparel companies this summer, deciding on Adidas with a five-year deal. While there are varying reports on what the annual payment actually is—they range from $2 million to $10-12 million—the 18-year-old Wiggins is rich, with the deal being the most money the brand has ever given a rookie athlete.
Photo via Flickr/chamberoffear
Connor McDavid – $30 million
Widely looked at as the next big thing in hockey, Connor McDavid sure is getting paid to become the the second-coming of Sidney Crosby, these days. In fact, the same company, Reebok, is paying both of these guys money to endorse their hockey line. Inking a deal for 15 years, the future No. 1 overall NHL draft pick—yes, he isn’t even in the league, yet—the kid is believed to be making at least $2 million per year as part of the terms. Not too bad for a kid who isn’t even 18 years old.
Photo via Flickr/ryan_tir
Andre Agassi – $40 million
Sure, former tennis star Andre Agassi was known for his flashy style and on-court success, but he should also be remembered for his big endorsement deal with Nike, too. Thanks to that attitude he showed—which was a bit rebellious in the sport of tennis at the time—Agassi was seen as a marketing dream, so the apparel company signed him to a contract worth $40 million in stock options, which isn’t including his undisclosed, annual pay from the brand. This all happened at the age of 18, two years after he turned pro.
Photo via YouTube
Michael Chang – Undisclosed
After turning pro at 15 years old, former tennis champ Michael Chang was courted by a few companies who had oped to add him to their roster of athlete endorsers. The 1989 French Open champ decided to sign a big deal with Reebok while still 17 years old, with the brand giving him a multimillion dollar deal worth an undisclosed amount.
Photo via Flickr/maartmeester
Kevin Garnett – Undisclosed
Coming out of high school, prep basketball star Kevin Garnett was one of the most versatile players anyone had ever seen, combining size, speed and agility into one package. With high hopes, Nike inked the kid to a big deal worth an undisclosed amount when he was still just 19 years old, helping him earn a lot of money early in his basketball days. Garnett later switched to Adidas and an overseas brand, but, by then, he had made a lot thanks to the sneaks he wore during games.
Photo via Flickr/nostri-imago
Venus and Serena Williams – $12 and $13 million
They are, arguably, the two best women’s tennis players in the history of the sport, so it’s no surprise that they were discovered early on in their career to make lots of money. That’s why companies like Puma and Reebok went after sisters Venus and Serena Williams, giving them $12 million and $13 million respectively while both were still just 15 and 16 years old. Rewarding their sponsors with both singles and double Grand Slam victories, it was definitely a solid investment in the siblings.
Photo via Flickr/akhunduqji
Kobe Bryant – $48 million
He just passed Michael Jordan for third on the all-time scoring list in NBA history, but, even before, Kobe Bryant has gotten into his older days, he was looked at as a budding star. Look no further than the massive, six-year, $48 million deal Bryant signed with Adidas prior to his first game with the L.A. Lakers at age 17. The move to sign with the tree-striped brand was one of the first of many for prep stars during the late-’90s. It wasn’t until his first deal with the company was up that he switched over to rival Nike.
Photo via YouTube
Tracy McGrady – $12 million
While his NBA career may have ended abruptly following a few injuries and relocating to different teams, former All-Star Tracy McGrady came into the league with a boom. One of the great scorers and young stars in the late-90s, T-Mac was rewarded by Adidas with a six-year, $12 million deal when he was still just 18 years old. Seeing how his career went, McGrady did a good job reaping the company the way they had probably hoped.
Photo via YouTube
Jennifer Capriati – $3 million and $1 million
A three-time Grand Slam singles champ, former tennis player Jennifer Capriati found out what it was like to have the high expectations of a future star. After turning pro at just 14 years old, companies like Diadora and Prince tennis rackets tossed a lot of money her way, with both giving her multimillion dollar endorsement deals. Earning over $10 million in prize money during her tennis days, Capriati made even more thanks to her partnerships.
Photo via Flickr/paul radici
Shaun White – Undisclosed
Seeing how Forbes magazine had action sports superstar Shaun White at a reported $8 million five years ago from his endorsements—while he was still 23—there’s a good chance that the guy earned a lot of that money while still a teenager. As the face of snowboarding ever since he was a teen, companies like Burton, Oakley and Ubisoft have made White a lot of money. Although it’s an undisclosed amount while still in his teens, after early success in both skateboarding and on the snow, he earned a lot before he entered his twenties.
Photo via Flickr/travz
LeBron James – $90 million
The most decorated prep athlete in the history of sports, two-time NBA champion LeBron James earned the attention of many while he was still in high school at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s in Ohio. Helping his team get nationally televised games and earning a full feature from national magazines, James was given a seven-year, $90 million deal from Nike before he even started his first pro game.
Photo via YouTube
