World No . 1 golf player LeBron James named the world 's highest-paid athlete . The Swiss earned $ 78.1 million in 2012 . Tennis star Tiger Woods second on the list after topping the pile in 2012 . Bryant 's salary with the Los Angeles Lakers is the highest in basketball at $ 27.85 million a year , $ 7 million more than any other player . NBA icons Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are third and third respectively .
World No . 1 golf player LeBron James named the world 's highest-paid athlete . The Swiss earned $ 78.1 million in 2012 . Tennis star Tiger Woods second on the list after topping the pile in 2012 . NBA icons Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are third and third respectively .