“[T]hankful for one year on here,” wrote OnlyFans model Sophie Rain on November 27 as she shared her yearly earnings on X. $43,477,695.01 read the gross income column, grossly pointing out a heartbreaking reality—promptly one social media user remarked, “making more than a doctor just doesn’t feel right”. But this was just the start of the conversation, with the controversy slowly inching toward the NBA. More specifically, Boston Celtics‘ Jayson Tatum in this case. 

The incident unfolded when an X user shared a collage comparing the model’s year-on-year income with Tatum’s 2024 salary. On the left was $43 million in bold letters, while the Celtics’ $35 million paled in comparison. Just to give you some more perspective, NBA icon LeBron James’ NBA salary was $47 million last year.

Rain’s paycheck is almost 23% more than what the C’s forward gets paid for his MVP-caliber performances day in and day out. Keep in mind, this $35 million—courtesy of a five-year, $163 million deal signed in 2020—is irrespective of Tatum having been in the league for seven years (after being drafted by the Celtics in 2024) and averaging 23.3 points, with 7.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34.3 minutes of play. And let’s not forget that the small forward is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, having represented the US in Tokyo and Paris.

20-year-old Rain, on the other hand, started her career just last year in April, and in that time, has already garnered 11 million OnlyFans subscribers, 5.2 million Instagram followers, and 2.5 million X followers. Funnily, even Tatum‘s total net worth of $45.9 million, as per Forbes in May, is just over two million more than the model. But, to put your mind at ease, money is coming Taco Jay’s way with a five-year, $315 million supermax extension deal he signed with the reigning NBA champions, putting his yearly income at a cool $63 million. This deal, which surpasses Jaylen Brown‘s massive contract from last offseason, will make JT’s the highest-paid in NBA history. But, unfortunately, that still doesn’t solve the problem…

What’s worrying to many is how last year, OnlyFans creators out-earned the combined salaries of every NBA star for the 2023-2024 season by a staggering $1.7 million! As per Basketball Forever, the platform’s content creators generated a $6.6 billion income, as compared to $4.9 billion by the league’s players. And the issue is certainly not NBA-centric, it seems. Olympic athletes across all divisions are facing the same or even more, prompting some to jump the wagon.

British Olympic diver Jack Laugher openly proclaimed this year that he had started a career in the subscription-based platform to make ends meet. “For me, it’s been an absolute lifeline,” he had noted in an interview. While the International Olympic Committee refused to comment on the matter, IOC spokesman Mark Adams once said, “I would assume that athletes, like all citizens, are allowed to do what they can.”

However, Global Athlete’s director general Rob Koehler announced the issues loud and clear: “The entire funding model for Olympic sport is broken. The IOC generates now over US$1.7 billion per year and they refuse to pay athletes who attend the Olympics,” he said before adding, “The majority of athletes can barely pay their rent, yet the IOC, national Olympic committees and national federations that oversee the sport have employees making over six figures. They all are making money off the backs of athletes. In a way, it is akin to modern-day slavery.”

Well, when it comes to NBA, things certainly might not be as dire, but that didn’t stop fans from commenting on the intense disparity that threatens players…

Fans are in absolute disbelief

One user wrote “More money than the player with the biggest contract in NBA history”. It’s hard to ignore the numbers. The gap between traditional sports contracts and earnings from the digital space is growing, showing how much the landscape is shifting for both athletes and online personalities. In fact, we see a lot of sports people doing so many social media tie-ups these days.

There was a stunning Business Insider report in 2020 that compiled that LeBron James earns more than $300,000 per sponsored post on Instagram! However jaw-dropping your reactions were to that, wait until you hear about YouTube rookie, Cristiano Ronaldo, whose paychecks exceed a million. These are premier sportspersons, mind you.

Another netizen was as shocked as we are, they wrote “A huge amount, especially for an influencer compared to traditional professions!” While many might expect traditional professions, like those in sports or entertainment, to dominate the pay scale, influencers are proving that the digital age is reshaping how money flows. Now that we’re talking about OnlyFans, reports confirm that the digital platform has seen a sharp-sharp surge in numbers since the COVID pandemic. 2022 to 2o23 also saw a 29% increase in total users!

Notably, Isla Moon, an OnlyFans model, who used to work as a lab coordinator and research assistant studying psychology and neuroscience, used to make around $12,000 per year. She was under $10,000 worth of student debt, and as in her own words, “life was not sustainable financially”. So, one fine day, Moon decided to change her career. Since making the move to OnlyFans, she raked in a staggering $5 million in 2023; more than 400 times the amount of her old salary. “In the span of two days, I may my yearly income from my lab position,” she confessed to UNILAD.

Having said that, one user pointed out, “First I’ve heard of Sophie,” while another user simply wrote, “Society driven outcome.”

The issue at hand is certainly head-scratching. What’s your opinion about it? Let us know in the comments below!