Latrell Sprewell Turned Down $21 Million—Here’s What Happened Next
Latrell Sprewell had one of the most controversial moments in sports history when he turned down a $21 million contract with the Golden State Warriors because he said he had a family to feed. He ended up never playing basketball again, so how did this turn out? We take you through Sprewell’s story and what his life is like today. Enjoy!
When you’re worth it
In 1997, Latrell Sprewell turned down a contract worth $21 million. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at what might have happened if he’d accepted the offer.
He would have never had to worry about how to feed his family again and would be one of the richest athletes of all time. However, in 2017 he admitted that he regretted the decision and wished he had taken the money and run.
I’m not going to say I regret it but I do wish I hadn’t done it, said Latrell when asked about turning down such an astronomical contract.
Fear will keep you broke
In 1998, Latrell Sprewell was offered a 3-year contract worth $21 million dollars. He declined the offer and instead played for the Golden State Warriors for less money. He said he had a family to feed and didn’t believe he should take such an extravagant offer when so many people around him were struggling financially.
He turned out to be right, as he signed with the New York Knicks in 2001 and made nearly as much money as what he turned down from the Warriors.
Every meal is an opportunity
This is the story of Latrell Sprewell, a professional basketball player who had an opportunity to make $21 million for the next four years. But instead of taking the offer, he said I got a family to feed and declined the contract. As a result, he never played again in the NBA.
We often remember and learn from people who have gone through similar experiences. I am sure many of you had a difficult time deciding whether to stay with your current employer or join a new company. After all, there is always risk involved in every decision we make. That is exactly what happened to Latrell Sprewell when he was offered a four-year, 21 million dollars contract by Golden State Warriors in 1999.
Don’t do it for them, do it for yourself
We all know the story of Latrell Sprewell and his infamous decision to decline a $21 million contract with the Golden State Warriors. But what happened next? After declining the hefty deal, he was traded to the New York Knicks for a three-year contract worth an estimated $9 million.
While this seems like a lot of money today, it pales in comparison to what he was offered only months prior. In 2003, he was traded again to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he would play until 2005 before retiring from basketball altogether at age 33.
Throughout his career, Latrell went on to make over $100 million without ever playing another game after turning down that initial offer from Golden State.
Love what you do and life will take care of you
Sprewell turned down the contract because he loved what he was doing and knew that if he did well, the money would come. And it did. In 1997, just a few years after he declined the $21 million deal, his four-year, $32 million contract with the Golden State Warriors made him one of the highest-paid players in league history. He ended up playing 16 seasons in total and averaged over 20 points per game in five of those seasons. It sounds like turning down that first deal worked out pretty well for him!
While it’s a nice story to say you should do something you love and money will follow, in reality, there are plenty of things that can go wrong when your career is at stake. For example, Sprewell fought with teammates and coaches during his time with New York, which led to him getting traded to Minnesota. While playing there he had an infamous incident where he choked teammate Marcus Camby while on the bench during a game. In other words, just because your gut tells you not to take that first million doesn’t mean everything will be fine down the road.
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