The NBA Draft marks the beginning of a journey for the NBA hopefuls who will hear their names called. But not all draft picks are alike.
In the NBA, first-round draft picks receive guaranteed deals on a rookie wage scale. Deals for second-round picks are not always guaranteed and require negotiation, and some second-round picks are signed to two-way contracts with their respective organizations.
What is the rookie wage scale, and what does it mean for draft picks? Here is more to know about the salary figures for players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
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NBA rookie contracts and salaries, explained
The salaries for rookies selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are based on a sliding scale that corresponds to where the player is selected. Here is how the NBA's most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement explains this:
Within a particular Rookie Salary Scale, a First Round Pick’s applicable Rookie Scale Amounts are determined by the player’s selection number in the NBA Draft
Rookie scale contracts are two-year deals with team options for a third and fourth year. The rookie scale salary increases each year of the contract, and first-round picks become eligible for contract extensions after their third NBA season.
Below is a look at the salaries for each rookie selected in the lottery of the 2024 NBA Draft, per Spotrac. First-round picks can sign for as low as 80 percent of the Rookie Scale or as high as 120% of the Rookie Scale.
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Values below represent 120% of the rookie scale.
| Round | Pick | Rookie salary | Four-year value |
| 1 | 1 | $13,825,920 | $62,730,226 |
| 1 | 2 | $12,370,200 | $56,139,994 |
| 1 | 3 | $11,108,880 | $50,438,207 |
| 1 | 4 | $10,015,680 | $45,487,014 |
| 1 | 5 | $9,069,840 | $41,209,662 |
| 1 | 6 | $8,237,640 | $37,439,131 |
| 1 | 7 | $7,520,040 | $34,193,629 |
| 1 | 8 | $6,889,200 | $31,340,682 |
| 1 | 9 | $6,332,520 | $28,822,764 |
| 1 | 10 | $6,016,080 | $27,386,800 |
| 1 | 11 | $5,715,120 | $26,345,863 |
| 1 | 12 | $5,429,520 | $25,333,944 |
| 1 | 13 | $5,157,960 | $24,355,798 |
| 1 | 14 | $4,900,320 | $23,419,859 |
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