Getting that first paycheck after making it to the NBA would be a special moment, but Gilbert Arenas explained how Black and White players are taught to spend that money very differently.
“When you ask White kids what’s the first thing you bought, they’ve never said anything about buying their parents anything,” Arenas said on Gil’s Arena. “They’re taught to move the money forward, right? So whatever money they get, they’re saving so when they get kids, they can take care of their kids for their kids to take care of their kids.”
In contrast, Arenas stated that Black players are taught to move that money back to their parents.
“We’re taught when we make money, move it back,” Arenas continued. “We got to take care of our parents, so by the time we all get kids, there’s no money left, right? So the life we gave our parents, we can’t give our kids, and that’s the problem we’re having.”
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In the past, in particular, a lot of the Black players came from poor households that didn’t have a lot of money. So, when the son made it big, the expectation was that he’d provide his parents with a better life. Meanwhile, many White players weren’t in that situation and could instead focus on building their wealth for the future.
I’d like to believe things are a bit different now. Many of the players today come from relatively well-off households and with salaries booming, are in a position to take care of their parents if needed and build for the future as well.
Brandon Jennings On Why He Shouldn’t Have Bought A House For His Mother With His First Paycheck
Brandon Jennings is a classic case of the kind of Black player that the 41-year-old Arenas was talking about. His father passed away when he was young and when Jennings made it to the NBA, he wanted to take care of his mother first and foremost.
Jennings bought his mother a house with his first paycheck but now states he shouldn’t have done it. It didn’t have anything to do with not liking her, but he believes he should have spent it on himself in a way that’d made him stable financially, as he’d have been left with nothing had he got hurt a year later.
Jennings also states that he made those around him too comfortable by being so willing to spend money on them.
Charles Barkley On The Differences He Saw When Visiting Black And White Schools
Charles Barkley has always been very supportive of his community and wants the very best for them. So, when Barkley saw the differences when he visited Black and White schools, he was concerned.
“I do this science experiment when I am in school. Let’s say I am in a White school, I say, ‘how many want to play pro sports?’ Less than 10% raise their hand. ‘I wanna be a doctor, I wanna be a lawyer, I wanna be an engineer’. When I speak at Black schools, 90% of the kids want to play sports. 90%. There’s a couple that wanna be doctors, which makes me proud, but 90% of the kids when I speak in Black schools… Our kids are brainwashed if they think they can only play sports or be entertainers. You have a better chance of being a doctor than being in the NBA.”
There are so many more avenues to explore and Barkley is concerned that young Black men only look at sports. He wants to see them branch out to different fields, as not only would they be capable of doing different jobs, but there’s a far greater chance of succeeding as well, as only so many can make it to the top in professional sports.
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