Bogut talks about American players.

[-Young Buck-]

"The public's got it right, a lot of NBA stars are arrogant and like to spend lots of money and have lots of girlfriends and all that."

"The smarter guys don't do that. They like to live a regular life and want to retire and be set up. About 80 per cent of them go broke by the time they retire or come close to it."

"If you want to keep living that lifestyle when you're 40, but the millions have stopped coming in, you suddenly find your friends are gone and you've got nothing. It's a tough situation for some of those guys, especially the ones who come from the ghettos or tough upbringings."

"The funny thing is that we have compulsory tutoring each week where they teach you to manage your money and they tell you about all the things that can happen to you, people trying to take advantage of you, but it's amazing how many of the guys totally ignore it."

"I guess if you're a normal person and all of a sudden you're getting $10 million a year, it can go to your head. But I really think it's just the culture over there. I would never want my child to be brought up in an environment like that, where if you have money, you're supposed to flaunt it and make everyone jealous. The American attitude is 'We're the best'. That's why the NBA guys who come from other countries, the Europeans, all sort of stick together away from the game."

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-2 ... Skids.html

Wow, those are some bold statements. But he is probably right about some players. I dont think there are many nba players like this though.

[iG®]

Even though he's a douchbag, dude makes some nice comments overhere.

[maes]

Players should take a hard look at Scottie Pippen.

Hall of Famer. Wold Famous. 6 rings. Could do anything.

Now he's trying to play in the NBA again to generate some cash, and owes over $5M to creditors.

But i doubt anything will change, it's the nature of young guys to not worry about anything past next week.

[cyanide]

He makes a good point. I mean, look at other guys that's not in the NBA: Mike Tyson and Michael Jackson. There's so many stories of dot-com billionares who end up homeless. The NBA isn't any different. During the NBA lockout, a disgrunted Kenny Anderson had to sell one of his nine cars! Look at Latrell Sprewell, since he couldn't sign with a team, two of his kids died of starvation!*

* ok, bad attempt at humor.

[Its_asdf]

Interesting. It comes off as a tad harsh and maybe the 80% is an exaggeration, but I knew that deep down NBA players would run into financial troubles.

I also didn't know about these money management classes, but it seems like the ego of players are really becoming a problem these days. I knew this kind of stuff went on behind the scenes, but Bogut really makes it sound like nearly every NBA player is in debt.

[Sauru]

well the thing with the money is, what they get paid, is not what they make. they will go on and on about getting 5 mil a year but they dont actually receive in hand 5 mil, not after the agents, uncle sam, and whoever else gets thier hands on thier piece. hell dont yao have to pay a % to china every season?

anyway its true, alot of players, not just nba mind you, players of all sports, come out poor. look at mike tyson, the man had enough money to buy the moon and set up shop there but now he is a joke, doing whatever he can for money.

this is not just athletes though, soooo many celebs turn out like this. cash rolls in, they spend it like it will never end then bam, suddenly parachute pants are not cool and no one wants to touch it and your 10 million dollar house with gold door knobs is auctioned off so you can pay the tax man

[Matt]

well the thing with the money is, what they get paid, is not what they make. they will go on and on about getting 5 mil a year but they dont actually receive in hand 5 mil, not after the agents, uncle sam, and whoever else gets thier hands on thier piece

true, of the 5 mill he'll probably actually get 40-45%.

Anyways, most people, let alone NBA players are dumbasses when it comes to money management. On a positive note, look at Magic.....he didnt play in the times of $100m contracts, but he invested his money and now has over $1 billion in assets.

[Jing]

He's got guts making that statement. He'll probably be shot up soon by some of Artest's boy's or something.

But he's right, young NBA players are not equip to handle their multi-million dollar contracts.

[Fitzy]

hes so full of it, remember when he told the Australian press he was the best Australian basketball export, over andrew gaze and luc longley? shocking

[Jeffx]

this is not just athletes though, soooo many celebs turn out like this. cash rolls in, they spend it like it will never end then bam, suddenly parachute pants are not cool and no one wants to touch it and your 10 million dollar house with gold door knobs is auctioned off so you can pay the tax man

That's what kills me - these celebrities/athletes/musicians who don't pay their taxes. I read about Ronald "Mr.Biggs" Isley going to jail for not paying taxes since 1976 - WTF??? And then you have Willie Nelson. These cats always think they're getting over on the I.R.S. Uncle Sam don't play - he's getting paid whether you're alive or dead. Just ask the families of Sammy Davis Jr. & Redd Foxx.

[Sauru]

no kidding, didnt wesley snipes flee the country cause he was busted on tax evasion then made some plea so he could come back. lol

["Mayo"]

why can't he just shut up and keep it to himself?! why should he make an announcement?! he's only gonna hurt himself by saying those kind of words. u never know. maybe iverson's boys or artest's is gonna knock him down for good.

[-Young Buck-]

why can't he just shut up and keep it to himself?! why should he make an announcement?! he's only gonna hurt himself by saying those kind of words. u never know. maybe iverson's boys or artest's is gonna knock him down for good.

Why would they do that? Because they fit into the description he is talking about?

[Laxation]

why can't he just shut up and keep it to himself?! why should he make an announcement?! he's only gonna hurt himself by saying those kind of words. u never know. maybe iverson's boys or artest's is gonna knock him down for good.

Why would they do that? Because they fit into the description he is talking about?

Mayo got served [img]http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3277/iconheadbangdk6.gif[img][/img]

[The X]

hes so full of it, remember when he told the Australian press he was the best Australian basketball export, over andrew gaze and luc longley? shocking

I don't think Bogut is full of it, not like that dickhead Chris Anstey....he's done nothing considerable for Australian basketball but thinks he's good....

Did he really say that to Australian press, I thought they were just misquoting & taken things out of context....I can't imagine him ever saying he's done more for Aussie basketball than Andrew Gaze....I wouldn't be surprised if he said an Australian being the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft is one of the best things to happen to bball for Australia, & he was correct....as for Longley, some reporter compared his game to Longley & he corrected them & said he could do more than Longley (which is not a lie)....it's like saying to Greg Oden after he gets picked No. 1, "so how do you feel about comparisons of you to Yinka Dare"....ridiculous....


as for what Bogut said in that article, although it's no doubt exaggerated for entertainment purposes, there is a truth to his words....I can't see Sean Marks blowing his veteran's minimum the same way that Sebastian Telfair might blow the money he earns....I don't see anything wrong with what he said, if he had called out certain player/s then I would think differently....

[Dean]

that dickhead Chris Anstey

AMEN! Fuck i had that toss bag

[Dan's Brain]

Did he really say that to Australian press, I thought they were just misquoting & taken things out of context..

He absolutely really did. It was during the last World Champs from memory. That's why it got so much attention, because the Boomers were still playing when he said it.