Celtics' Paul George Tops List No NBA Player Wants to Lead image
David Butler II-Imagn Images
This isn't a list Paul George wants to be on.
On Friday, HoopsHype ranked the most overpaid players in NBA history. George claimed the No. 1 spot, replacing another former Boston Celtics star at the top of the list.
According to HoopsHype's Real Value metric, which estimates a player's market value, George has been overpaid in 10 of his 16 NBA seasons.
HoopsHype estimates George's career value at $258.2 million, well below the $407.9 million he's earned.
"George went from barely making the Top 30 most overpaid players ever to taking the top overall spot from Gordon Hayward," wrote HoopsHype's Frank Urbina. "George has been overpaid by an unfathomable $85.2 million over the past two seasons, per our metric, peaking in 2024-25 with a $44.4 million overpay. That season, George averaged 16.2 points on 43.0 percent shooting in 41 appearances for the Philadelphia 76ers while being paid $49.2 million, output that Real Value valued at $4.8 million."
HoopsHype thinks George will only widen his lead in the coming seasons, too.
George, 36, will make $54.1 million in 2026-27. He then has a $56.6 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
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The label is particularly harsh for a player with a Hall of Fame resume. George has been one of the NBA's best forwards for almost two decades, earning him nine All-Star selections, six All-NBA selections and four All-Defense selections.
George's best season came in 2018-19, when he averaged 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He finished third in both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting that season.
The biggest knock on George lately has been availability. Since 2019-20, he has played more than 60 games in a regular season only once, making his hefty contract a tough pill to swallow.
Still, George's resume should leave little doubt about his prospects. Basketball Reference gives him a 97.8 percent chance of being inducted into the Hall of Fame, making him a near-lock.
Being destined for the Hall of Fame while labelled the NBA's most overpaid player makes for quite the contrast.
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