The 50 Fortunate

In assembling SI's inaugural list of the top 50 American athletes by current annual income, here are some things we learned: Top-ranked Tiger Woods nearly doubled No. 2 Shaquille O'Neal's earnings; NBA players (24) make up nearly half the list; and one fifth of the athletes play for New York-area teams. There are only four football players, and no hockey players. The only two women are sisters. Candidates had to be active athletes who are U.S. citizens, which means that German race car driver Michael Schumacher (who would have been No. 2 with $71 million), British soccer demigod David Beckham ($30 million) and Czech hockey star Jaromir Jagr ($14 million), for instance, were not eligible. We also limited income to salary or winnings, bonuses, endorsement contracts and appearance fees. In other words, we don't care if Tiger and Shaq make a killing on Google stock.

1 TIGER WOODS
Golf
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$6,673,413
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$70,000,000
[Total income]$76,673,413

2 SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
Los Angeles Lakers
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$26,517,858
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$14,000,000
[Total income]$40,517,858

3 LEBRON JAMES
Cleveland Cavaliers
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$4,018,920
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$35,000,000
[Total income]$39,018,920

4 PEYTON MANNING
Indianapolis Colts
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$26,900,000
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$9,500,000
[Total income]$36,400,000

5 KEVIN GARNETT
Minnesota Timberwolves
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$29,000,000
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$7,000,000
[Total income]$36,000,000

6 OSCAR DE LA HOYA
Boxing
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$30,000,000
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$2,000,000
[Total income]$32,000,000

7 ANDRE AGASSI
Tennis
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$2,530,929
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$24,500,000
[Total income]$27,030,929

8 KOBE BRYANT
Los Angeles Lakers
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$13,498,000
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$12,000,000
[Total income]$25,498,000

9 DEREK JETER
New York Yankees
[Salary or winnings (including bonuses)]$19,000,000
[Endorsements and appearance fees]$6,000,000
[Total income]$25,000,000