What do NBA legends like Kyrie Irving and James Harden have in common with a 20-year-old content creator from the internet? The answer, surprisingly, is salary! In a revelation that stunned the sports world, OnlyFans model Sophie Rain earned a jaw-dropping $43 million.
This puts her in the same financial bracket as the NBA’s biggest stars. Let that sink in: Rain’s income matched or exceeded that of Irving and Harden, two of the most accomplished and recognizable names in the game. The news broke wide after ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith reacted live on The Stephen A.Smith Show, floored by the earnings. “Sophie Rain made more money on OnlyFans than many of the NBA’s biggest stars,” he said.
These numbers are more than eye-opening; they are historic. In a single year, OnlyFans creators earned a total of $6.6 billion. Which, Smith pointed out, surpassed the entire combined salary pool of NBA players, $4.9 billion. And Rain wasn’t just one of many; she was one of the top earners on the platform, where less than 0.1% of creators ever reach.
According to Basketball Forever, Rain’s income placed her above 489 of the 500 NBA players that season. Rain has publicly identified herself as a devout Christian and claims to be a virgin.
The 2025 OnlyFans top earners are making the same as these NBA players pic.twitter.com/ps2APnzvXN
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) June 19, 2025
Say what you will about her path, but it is clear Rain has tapped into a loyal, high-paying audience, without even crossing into explicit territory that many associate with the platform. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving who is facing an uncertain 2025 after tearing his ACL, has a player option of $42.4 million. Likewise, Harden, approaching 36, helped the Clippers win 51 games, and got an All-Star nod. He has a salary of $36.3 million.
Let us now see how the fans are feeling about this shocker.
Creator economy sparks outrage among NBA fans
While Rain’s earnings might be high, they are also rare. Most creators make just $24 every month, and chat messages, not subscription, account for 70% of their earnings. Meanwhile, subscriptions make up only 4.1 %. It is not all sunshine and rainbows, as many make it out to be. Rain had a brand and an audience. A reality summed up perfectly by one of the commenters, as they said,
“My only fans didn’t take off. It’s not as easy as it seems guys.”
Nov 10, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) looks to pass as Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) defends during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Another netizen made an interesting point, “Well…They’re all entertainers.” But for the lifelong sports fans, this one hit differently. They are used to watching their heroes dominate headlines with their deals, Supermax contracts, endorsement bags, and trades. But now a twenty-year-old is out earning half of them from her phone, has left them feeling disappointed. One user bluntly wrote, “This is sad. “
So, is this the new wave, then? Maybe. “That’s honestly ridiculous,” one commented. But is it really? While OnlyFans might not have courts and arenas, or highlight reels, we know live in a creator economy. It influences pop culture and is rivaling sports team empires. So, content creators like Sophie Rain become multi-millionaires faster than most teams can draft a franchise player.
The post $43M OnlyFans Models’ Earnings Match Kyrie Irving & James Harden’s NBA Salaries, Leaving Fans Stunned appeared first on EssentiallySports.
