How NBA star Stephen Curry deals with making millions less than other top players

The Golden State Warriors got a real deal on one of the NBA's best players.

Stephen Curry took home another championship win on Monday night when the Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to clinch the 2017 NBA Finals. The victory marks Curry's second championship with his team in the past three years. But though he's one of the sport's top athletes, he's not even close to being its highest-paid.

Curry earned a $12.1 million salary for the 2016-2017 season, rounding out a four-year contract for $44 million he signed in 2012. That makes him the 82nd highest-paid player in the NBA, Business Insider reports, well behind LeBron James' $30.9 million and teammate Kevin Durant's $26.5 million for the season.

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Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry

But Curry doesn't dwell on the fact that he's pulling in less than his peers. As Business Insider first reported, Curry focuses on advice his father, former NBA player Dell Curry, once gave him: Don't worry about how much other people have.

"One thing my pops always told me is you never count another man's money," Curry says in an interview with Tim Kawakami of The Mercury News. "It's what you've got and how you take care of it. And if I'm complaining about $44 million over four years, then I've got other issues in my life."

Curry signed his contract knowing that he would earn far less than other NBA stars. Instead of comparing himself to other players, he went into the deal thinking about the upsides it offered: how he'd be able to do what he loves and support the people he loves.

"My perspective was: 'Man, I'll be able to take care of my family with this. Blessed to be able to know I'll be playing at least in the NBA for four years and see where it goes from there,'" he tells Kawakami.

Curry's outlook can be applied to the workplace as well. If you're vying for a higher salary, don't focus on how much your colleague might be making. Instead, present the case for why your work means you deserve a raise.

As for Curry, Business Insider reports that if he decides to stick with the Warriors, he'll be eligible for a five-year, $207.4 million contract, which would boost his salary to $35.7 million for next season.

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