NBA players make a lot of money in the modern era, but even back in the day, they earned more than most normal people. The arrival of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson brought more money into the league, but that meant players were also losing it.
There are many well-known stories of NBA stars that went broke despite making millions. Often, they might turn to their former teammates that were still successful for help. But Larry Bird wasn’t one to give anyone money, and he once explained why.
“Some of the guys who made far less than me bought the $700,000 homes, and the Rolex watches, and the big luxury cars. I used to tell them, ‘You’re crazy, you should be saving your money,'” Larry Bird wrote in his book, Bird Watching.
“They’d just laugh and make jokes about me stashing my money away. But I could see what they were doing. They were throwing away their future. So many of them were living for today and not even stopping for a minute to think about ten years down the road when their playing careers were over and the money stopped pouring in.
“And by the time they realized what I was telling them was true, it was too late. I can’t tell you how many ex-teammates have asked me for money. It’s heartbreaking for me to say no, but I do because I warned them. I told them to save.”
This is perhaps a bit of a harsh stance from Bird, but one that is entirely fair. Everyone is responsible for themselves, and if he warned his teammates, then a lot of them should have known better. It’s never quite that simple, but Larry Legend’s stance on the matter seems very straightforward.
Larry Bird Didn’t Like Spending A Lot Of Money Himself
Perhaps what made it a bit more difficult for the Boston Celtics legend to understand in that situation was the fact that he didn’t like spending money either. He explained once that it wasn’t about having a big ego for him.
“I really don’t need anyone to build my ego. When I’m home in Boston, I want to go out and eat, pay my bill, and get the hell out. Back in French Lick, I don’t have those problems, and that’s why I go back there. It’s the same with nice cars, Mercedes and all that. I can’t see putting $50,000 or $60,000 into a car when our house growing up was worth $10,000. I just can’t buy that. And clothes never did catch my eye. I never really enjoyed ‘em. I always wore what I felt comfortable in.”
Larry Bird was a superstar, one of the first of the modern era. But he didn’t act like it, he let his game do the talking. And in doing so, he found success both on and off the court. Not many people can say they won three consecutive MVPs and are worth over $60 million.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
