Yahoo Sports How These 36 Athletes Spent Their First Big Paycheck
The payout from being signed to a professional sports team can be huge — many athletes receive signing bonuses that are more than what most Americans make in a year. Some athletes splurge with their first big paycheck, buying fancy cars, homes and other luxuries, while others are more conservative, using it to buy fast food or a celebratory keg. Take a look to see just how these people spent their first big paychecks.
Last updated: Aug. 6, 2020
Patrick Mahomes: A Baseball Team
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes made headlines in early July for signing a record 10-year deal worth up to $503 million. For anyone who asked, “What does someone even do with that kind of money?” — now you have your answer. On July 28, it was announced that Mahomes had become part owner of the Kansas City Royals.
Mahomes’ father and grandfather both spent many years competing in the MLB, perhaps contributing to his decision to take on an ownership role.
“I’m honored to become a part owner of the Kansas City Royals,” Mahomes said to Yahoo Sports. “I love this city and the people of this great town. This opportunity allows me to deepen my roots in this community, which is something I’m excited to do.”
LeBron James: Amusement Park Tickets
NBA great LeBron James scored his first big endorsement deal with Nike in 2003. Chris Dennis, James’ former PR manager, told ESPN that James put most of that money in the bank.
“After I hand-delivered it to him, LeBron took that multimillion-dollar Nike check, deposited it and came out with maybe $2,000 in cash,” Dennis said. “He never spent or indulged in a frivolous manner when the money came. He did take his closest friend to an amusement park but didn’t immediately purchase any new cars or homes.”
Nate Burleson: Fake Bling
NFL player Nate Burleson didn’t want to blow his first big paycheck on over-the-top jewelry, so instead, he bought costume jewelry that looked like the real thing, he told NFL.com.
“I bought an Escalade, a fake watch and a fake chain — in my mind, I thought no one is going to question if they were real because I was an NFL player — and gave my parents money to help with bills,” he told the site.
Even though Burleson made relatively responsibly buying decisions, he still has some regrets.
“Looking back, I wish I would have bought a more fuel-efficient vehicle and a home,” he said.
Kyle Busch: A Used Truck
NASCAR pro Kyle Busch now makes millions but he started off making much less. When he got his first $65,000-plus paycheck to race cars, he considered it a big payday.
“I went out and bought a five-year-old used vehicle from Papa Joe Hendrick, who was one of my previous bosses,” he told CNBC Make It.
Jeremy Hill: A Giant Back Tattoo
Jeremy Hill used his first big NFL paycheck to commemorate his time playing college football at LSU — with a giant back tattoo of Tiger Stadium, The Score reported.
“If you gone go hard why not go the hardest,” Hill tweeted about his new body art.
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Harrison Barnes: A Mattress
Harrison Barnes of the Sacramento Kings used his $2.8 million rookie salary to buy “a really nice bed,” he told CNBC Make It.
“For me, growing up, really having a nice bed was something that I always wanted,” he told the site. “I definitely tried out every bed in the mattress store. Usually, whatever store I walked in, I’m buying the cheapest thing possible, if that. So to be able to go into a mattress store and say, ‘I’m going to choose the bed I want to sleep on,’ and choose one of the nicer ones, that was pretty cool.”
Joe Flacco: McDonald's
For a time, Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco was the highest-paid player in the history of the NFL with an average of $20.1 million per season, CBS Sports reported. But after he signed his record-breaking contract, he was spotted pulling up to a McDonald’s drive-thru.
“Everything I need I already had, and everything I want, if I really want it, I can go get it. But there’s nothing I really want,” he told CBS Sports. “I don’t need a $110,000 car or anything like that. I mean, I like that four-door Porsche. I like to say I’m going to go buy that. But do I really need it? A year ago I said, ‘If I ever sign a big deal I’m going to get that Porsche.’ … but I didn’t.”
Shaquille O'Neal: 3 Mercedes Benzes
When Shaquille O’Neal was 20, he signed a $1 million endorsement deal with a trading card company — and the NBA star wasted no time spending that cash. O’Neal told Business Insider that as soon as he got the deal, he opened up a checking account and went straight to a Mercedes Benz dealer. He ended up buying three cars — two $150,000 cars for himself and his father, and a $100,000 car for his mother.
“I was just writing checks,” he said. “I was buying TVs. I was just buying stuff I didn’t even need. So after that, I said, ‘You know what? I need to get me a business manager.'”
Colin Kaepernick: Gave It to Charity
Colin Kaepernick gave one of his first paychecks from the San Francisco 49ers to his adoptive parents and asked them to donate it to a charitable cause for children with heart issues, Mercury News reported.
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Chris Paul: A Shopping Spree for His Friends
In 2005, Chris Paul — who was then a sophomore at Wake Forest University — declared for the NBA draft and got a $25,000 advance from his agency.
“I took my girlfriend, my best friend [and] his girlfriend, [and] we went to a mall and we went into a couple stores and I was like, ‘Just get something,’” Paul told CNBC Make It. “[There’s] no feeling like it.”
David Carr: A Couch and a TV
NFL player David Carr scored a $14 million signing bonus back in 2001, but he was very practical with his spending.
“[My wife and I] had already bought a beautiful home in Houston, but we had nothing in it,” he told NFL.com. “I remember eating pizza while sitting on the floor with my wife, so the first thing we did was buy a couch and a TV. Then we paid the house off.”
“It’s very tempting to go out and blow it,” Carr continued. “Fortunately, I had a great support system, and my dad would’ve kicked my butt if I spent it recklessly.”
Gilbert Arenas: Cadillac Escalade With Suede Detailing and Multiple TVs
NBA player Gilbert Arenas bought a Cadillac Escalade with a ton of upgrades with his first big paycheck, he told The Players’ Tribune. Arenas got suede detailing throughout, as well as six TVs.
Ryan Broyles: Paid Off Credit Card Debt
When Ryan Broyles was drafted by the Lions in 2012, he used his signing bonus wisely. After years of racking up debt, “the first thing I did was pay down my debts and put my bills on autopay — the first steps to getting my credit right,” he wrote in a blog post for The Players Tribune.
Eric Davis: Gold Mickey Mouse Watch
NFL player Eric Davis must be a big Disney fan. He told NFL.com that he spent his first big paycheck on “a few sweatsuits and a gold Mickey Mouse watch.”
He also used some of it to help out his parents.
“My parents wanted a new roof for their home, so I took care of that for them,” he said.
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Deone Bucannon: Mercedes for His Mom
New York Giants player Deone Bucannon bought his mother a Mercedes SUV during his rookie year, and shared a photo of the purchase on Instagram.
“By far the most important [woman] in my life,” he captioned the photo. “You deserve so much more [than] this. Words can’t explain how much you mean to me. Truly blessed for the opportunities The Lord has given me. Going to make the absolute most of them.”
A.J. McCarron: 5-Plus-Carat Engagement Ring
Quarterback A.J. McCarron used some of his NFL rookie earnings to purchase an engagement ring for his girlfriend Katherine Webb. The ring features a 5-carat cushion-cut center stone surrounded by pink diamonds, E! News reported.
Michael Choice: Video Game Consoles
His first year with the MLB, outfielder Michael Choice purchased an Xbox and a PS4, Bleacher Report reported.
Heath Evans: Weekly Steakhouse Dinners
Former Seattle Seahawks player Heath Evans bought his sister a Mercedes-Benz SUV with his first big paycheck, and took himself out for weekly meals at a local steakhouse franchise, he told NFL.com.
“Being in Seattle, I remember going to Daniel’s Broiler about once a week,” he said. “That was how I splurged.”
Andre Iguodala: $2,000 Worth of Nikes
Andre Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP for the Golden State Warriors, told Wealthsimple that when he got the $25,000 advance from his first big NBA contract, he went straight to Niketown.
“I bought a whole bunch of pairs of Jordans,” he said. “I spent like two or three grand and it felt like I spent a million dollars. I didn’t know how to spend money. And it was so early that there wasn’t enough money to go buy a car, you know? I was happy where I was at.”
Matt Judon: Taco Bell
Defensive end Matt Judon told the Detroit Free Press that he planned to spend his first big NFL paycheck on Taco Bell.
“I like Taco Bell,” Judon said. “I mean, obviously I’ll have way more money than I’ll know what to do with, but while I’m pondering what I’m going to do with my money I’ll be eating a chalupa or something.”
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Chris Long: Cadillac Sedan
Former Philadelphia Eagles player Chris Long chose comfort over style when it came to his first splurge, purchasing a luxury sedan.
“My first big paycheck — this is kind of funny — I bought a Cadillac DTS,” Long told CNBC Make It. “I thought it looked really comfortable. I thought, ’I’m making a good choice here because I’m not buying the, like, [Hummer] H2 or the [Rolls-Royce] Phantom that a lot of my teammates were buying. It was a really comfortable car, but it looked like an old man car and then I got some better taste and eventually sold it.”
Shaun O'Hara: Beer
Shaun O’Hara treated his friends to a celebration when he got his first big NFL paycheck.
“I’m pretty sure I bought the keg that night for my group of friends,” he told NFL.com.
Willie McGinest: Toyota Camry for His Mom
NFL player Willie McGinest spent much of his first big paycheck on his family.
“The Toyota Camry was the hot car off the lot at the time, so I bought that for my mom,” he told NFL.com. “Then, my parents didn’t want to move out of the neighborhood where we grew up, so I demolished the house and built a brand new one right there. After I took care of them, I bought myself a new truck.”
Donn Roach: Bulldog Clothing and Accessories
San Diego Padres pitcher Donn Roach spent a good chunk of his first season earnings on clothing and accessories for his French bulldog, Bleacher Report reported.
Enes Kanter: Pizza
NBA player Enes Kanter got his start as a professional basketball player in Europe and got his first big paycheck when he was 16.
“I got my first paycheck from my club team and I was super excited,” he told CNBC Make It. “I took my friends to eat pizza.”
C.J. Mosley: Diamond-Encrusted Watch
Baltimore Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley shared a photo of a diamond-encrusted watch on Instagram that he bought his first year in the NFL.
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Amar’e Stoudemire: An Apartment
Amar’e Stoudemire signed a $3.5 million rookie contract with the Phoenix Suns when he was 18 years old.
“When I got the first paycheck and I saw all those zeros — it was for like $300,000 — I thought, ‘Man, this is like the Richie Rich movie,'” he told Wealthsimple. “You wake up and now you’re rich. I was overwhelmed. I splurged on a new car. I bought a truck. I actually got a very nice little apartment. I got my mom a home. I bought some jewelry. I bought some clothing. I took my brother shopping. When you see tears in your mother’s eyes and the joy in your brother’s face? Those moments only come once in a lifetime.”
Ryan Riddle: $179 Coffee Table
NFL player Ryan Riddle received a $35,000 signing bonus when he signed with the Oakland Raiders in 2005, which was the biggest paycheck he had ever received up to that point, he wrote in a post for The Bleacher Report. Riddle used that paycheck to pay his agent his fee as well as to pay back a $12,000 loan that had been used to cover his predraft living expenses. He said training camp kept him too busy to really splurge, but he did make one purchase for himself.
“I did find time during one of our only days off in training camp to visit a furniture store with my girlfriend at the time,” Riddle said. “We ended up buying a glass-top coffee table for my one-bedroom apartment for about $179.”
Michael Robinson: Chevy Tahoe
Michael Robinson told NFL.com that when he scored his first big paycheck he was “scared to have a large sum of money. I thought somebody might rob me or take the money out of my account somehow. I had never seen money on this scale before.”
He didn’t go too crazy with spending it, but he did buy himself a new car.
“I bought some jewelry and a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe when the vehicle’s body style changed,” he said. “I was hyped for that.”
Ryan Shazier: Porsche
When he was a rookie linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ryan Shazier used his newfound wealth to buy a new Porsche with a black exterior and red interior, Bleacher Report reported.
Jimmie Ward: Mini BMW for His Daughter
Many athletes splurge on luxury cars for themselves, but Jimmie Ward used some of his rookie earnings from his first year with the NFL to buy his daughter a mini BMW, Bleacher Report reported.
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Marcus Smart: A House for His Mom
Marcus Smart told his mother that he would buy her a house if he made it to the NBA, and made good on his promise when he was signed to the Boston Celtics, MassLive reported.
“It’s probably one of the biggest accomplishments as a young man, is to give your mom what she always wanted, and to take care of her, especially after she takes care of you all those years, and to make her happy,” he told the site of buying a house for his mom in the Dallas suburbs. “It’s a blessing. I thank God every day for the opportunity to be able to do something like that.”
Klay Thompson: Pool Table
Klay Thompson’s first NBA paycheck was for $35,000 — pennies compared to the five-year, $190 million contract he signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2019. Still, it was a lot of money for Thompson at the time. On Uninterrupted’s “Kneading Dough,” Thompson said that he spent that first check on a pool table.
“I still have that to this day,” he said.
Daniel Norris: 1978 Volkswagen Camper
Daniel Norris was 18 when he signed his first MLB contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. It came with a $2 million signing bonus and a deal with Nike, ESPN reported. Like many pro athletes, he used his first big paycheck to buy his dream car, but his choice was a little unconventional — a 1978 Volkswagen camper.
LaDainian Tomlinson: Cadillac Escalade for His Mom
NFL player LaDainian Tomlinson used his first big payday to buy his mother a house and a new car.
“She wanted a Cadillac Escalade, so that’s what she got,” he told NFL.com. “Other than that, I put my money in the bank and invested it.”
Brandon Wood: GMC Yukon/Denali
When MLB player Brandon Wood got a $1.3 million signing bonus in 2003, he was still a teenager.
“I had my parents that were a good influence on me,” Wood told The Orange County Register. “They helped me with what to do with that money because when you’re 18, you don’t know anything. They told me I could get a car and that I should put the rest away.”
Wood did go all out with his car purchase, though. He bought a GMC Yukon/Denali, with a fancy stereo and a TV for the backseat.
“This is what I thought I needed when I was 18,” Wood said. “I used the TV five times after I got it.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How These 36 Athletes Spent Their First Big Paycheck
