Kobe Bryant ranks 12th on Forbes' 2026 earnings list with $14 million

Brunson's title-winning shoes fuel demand

Brunson wore the Nike Kobe 6 Protro "Statue of Liberty" when the New York Knicks clinched their first NBA championship in 53 years. Forbes reported that his choice helped drive demand for Bryant's shoes in stores and on resale platforms.

Released in December 2025 for $200, the sneaker sold out almost immediately. ClutchPoints reported that pairs typically resold for about $350 to $400 before the Knicks won the title. After the championship-clinching Game 5, several sales exceeded $1,000, with one reported at $1,400. The average resale price was around $750 a day later.

Brunson has embraced Bryant's line rather than pursuing a signature sneaker of his own. As of mid-2026, he was not among the 27 active NBA players with a signature shoe, according to Hype Beast. Sportico reported that he had turned down an opportunity to get one; he has said he would prefer an unlimited supply of Kobe sneakers and has become the face of the Nike Kobe line.

Nike renewed its agreement with the Bryant family in 2022, enabling further releases of his signature shoes. The partnership remains an important contributor to the earnings associated with Bryant's name.

Those releases come against a weaker financial backdrop for Nike. According to Sportico, the company's footwear revenue dropped 12% to $29.5 billion in fiscal 2025, while Converse and Jordan Brand also recorded double-digit revenue declines. Nike shares fell below $42 in May 2026, a 52-week low, compared with more than $80 two years earlier.

What Forbes' earnings figure measures

Bryant's 12th-place total reflects Forbes' accounting period of October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, rather than the calendar year. The ranking includes pretax income from sales, streaming, licensing and other sources, as well as estate acquisitions completed or announced during that period.

The methodology also changed from 2025. Forbes now credits each celebrity with all earnings generated as a single economic entity, even when the estate no longer owns or controls the relevant rights. The previous list measured only money flowing to estate beneficiaries.

The work beyond Bryant's playing career

Bryant's activities outside basketball included books, business ventures and film production. Granity Studios, his production company, made "Dear Basketball," the animated short that received an Academy Award in 2018. He also founded the Mamba Sports Academy to support young athletes' development.

Vanessa Bryant has helped preserve and develop her husband's legacy, including through the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. Bryant was 41 when he died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. His daughter Gianna and seven other people also died.

An asset sale puts Quincy Jones at No. 1

Quincy Jones led the 2026 ranking with an estimated $150 million (Dh 550.87 million). In March 2026, his estate sold most of his interests in his assets, along with his personal catalog and publishing rights as an artist, to HarbourView Equity Partners. Forbes valued the transaction with the private-equity-backed catalog manager at about $150 million.

This was Forbes' 26th year tracking posthumous earnings. Jones became only the fourth person other than Michael Jackson to lead the list since Jackson's death in 2009. Elizabeth Taylor topped it in 2012, followed by Roald Dahl in 2021 and J.R.R. Tolkien in 2022.

Jackson finished second with $140 million, largely driven by "Michael," the biopic released in April 2026 that took in more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. His estate reportedly contributed about $25 million to reshoots. Forbes estimates that the estate's roughly 25% share of net profits will bring in more than $50 million over the next several years.

Dr. Seuss placed third with $80 million, followed by Elvis Presley with $75 million and Dolly Parton with $46 million. Bob Marley ranked sixth at $25 million, Prince seventh at $24 million, Diane Keaton eighth at $22 million and John Lennon ninth at $18 million.

George Harrison and Jimmy Buffett were tied at $15 million, just above Bryant. Arnold Palmer followed Bryant in 13th place with $13 million.