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The current season of the NBA is well underway and games are being played every week. Spectators are tuning in in their millions to see exactly how the various face-offs and show-downs work out.
Great plays, star turns and stand out performances have all been seen so far this year in the NBA. More are sure to come. But what we don’t always know is what the lifestyle of an NBA player is off the court.
Extravagance and wealth
Top NBA players command huge salaries and earn big money from sponsorship deals. Many players show off this income with expensive tastes for leisure.
One of the highest earners in the NBA is Kobe Bryant. The ace basketballer was worth at least $200 million. His love of grand opulence was displayed in the fact that he owned three beachside California homes worth $18.8 million.
Passions outside of basketball are also enjoyed by many of the top NBA stars. Fashion and property are often a major love for top sportspeople, and basketballers are no exception.
The top player Joe Johnson showed this in abundance when he put his mansion house up for sale. The undeniably high-end building included a huge 500-square-foot closet to store and display his collection of 436 sneakers. The show museum, featuring mostly unworn pairs, could only be accessed by Johnson using a fingertip sensor.
Show collections and mansion property is also an ongoing love for the ex-Lakers player Nick Young. Young purchased a huge 6,630 square foot pad from the singer Selena Gomez. The vast property also has a guest house, named the ‘shoe house’, for Young’s extensive showcase of over 500 pairs of designer sneakers.
Party lifestyle
Unsurprisingly, some top players enjoy letting go a little when not in competition. JR Smith was a player famous for celebrating with champagne when his team the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first championship back in 2016. The top player also went shirtless for five days after winning the title.
Sound investments
One of the best players of all time, LeBron James is also well-known as a master in making sound investments. James ensures his team, the LA Lakers, are heavily backed in the NBA betting odds, so it’s no surprise he’s worth a fortune. But he adds to the fortune he earns on the court through making wise investments, such as his first plot of land bought when just 18. The patch in Akron, Ohio was transformed into 30,000 square-foot estateincluding a recording studio and six-bedroom mansion. He also bought a huge property worth over $13 million while playing for Miami Heat. A third mansion was bought more recently in the Brentwood area for $23 million.
This extensive property collection was also bolstered by financial investment in Liverpool football club, marking an awareness of the potential in other sports as a wise way to profit. The 2 percent share cost James $6.5 million back in 2011. Today it is estimated to be worth a cool $32million.
The ongoing interest in other ventures also led James to consider teaming up with David Beckham to bring a new vision of soccer to the MLS. More recently, James has signed with Beckham’s new media production company Studio 99.
Motor cars
Cars are always a popular way for top NBA players to show off their funds. The two-time NBA all-star Zach Randolph was well-known for his collection of ‘muscle cars’. The 1970s style cars would be extensively customized to include every last comfort.
High powered vehicles are often a showpiece for players to display their wealth. The big personality, J.R. Smith also enjoys an impressive motor car collection including a prized Bentley that retails for over $300,000.
The lifestyle of an NBA player often includes extravagant details that most fans can only dream of. But while the prizes are no doubt impressive, the career of a top-flight player is brief and intensive. When you look at some of the rewards on offer, it could be said that talent and hard work pays off.
