Money management can be a learning curve for many athletes, and this was the case for Dwyane Wade. Wade was drafted to the league in 2003, which is viewed as “one of the greatest draft classes in NBA history,” the league mentions. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh were also drafted that year. Wade would make his debut with the Miami Heat as the No. 5 overall draft pick, Sports Illustrated reports. He then signed a three-year contract valued at $8.5 million, to The Palm Beach Post. For Wade, being drafted to the league allowed him to overcome the odds that were stacked against him living in the South Side of Chicago, where he would hear gun shots frequently. At one point, he was being raised by his mother who struggled with addiction and would leave him at home for periods of time, according to Business Insider. When he was 9 he eventually moved to a new neighborhood to be with his father, who had divorced his mother. “[My father] was militant,” Wade shared during an...

A’ja Wilson does not take the sacrifices of her parents for granted. Growing up, the Las Vegas Aces player credits her dad for encouraging her to practice shots on the court, she tells ESPN. Her father, Roscoe, would make her wear a weighted vest while she scored layups. The South Carolina-born athlete describes this time period as “the hell part” of their relationship, but it also helped to improve her skills. “Left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand,” Roscoe told ESPN. “I’d tell her to always know where her feet should be, don’t bring her hands down below her shoulders. Now, it’s second nature.” A’ja saw her improvement too. “…The heaven part was that as I grew, I started to see my game change. I realized my dad was just being my coach. As I got older and basketball got more serious, I saw that, ‘This man may know some things, A’ja, so I suggest you listen to him.'” Roscoe’s passion for the game was reflected in his own life. While he never made it to the NBA, the former...

It was never about the money for tennis legend Serena Williams. During an interview on Bloomberg Originals’ “The Deal” podcast hosted by Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly, she recalls forgetting to pick up her award checks after winning tournaments, necessitating friendly reminders from her accountant. “When I started tennis, first of all, I’m from Compton, CA, and I remember playing on these courts, and my life was great. I never felt like I needed anything. So for me, money was never a motivation,” Williams told the hosts. “I remember when I first started, back in the day, they used to write out checks after you won your tournament. And I would always forget to get the checks. And so at the end of the year they would always have to say, ‘Serena, we have all these checks for you.’ I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ And at the time, I had an accountant who would be like, ‘Serena. They sent me all these checks that you would forget to get from the tournaments.'”   Instead, Williams was more focused...

A new health clinic has opened in Michael Jordan’s hometown of Wilmington, NC, following a generous donation by the NBA legend. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Jordan had donated $10 million in 2022 to support the development of medical clinics to the regional healthcare system Novant Health, which will offer its services to both uninsured or underinsured residents of New Hanover County in North Carolina. Prior to May 8, 2024, two clinics had been opened to families in town, with two others in Charlotte, NC. Speaking on its impact, residents who have “never had a primary care provider before” have “praised the clinic teams for helping restore health and a sense of hope,” according to a press release, People reports. Now, the clinic will be extending its impact in light of a third Wilmington clinic, which includes 12 patient rooms. The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic has opened on Greenfield Street with the goal of bringing “much-needed comprehensive primary care...

Angel Reese is in high demand. The WNBA player, who is signed to Reebok under a multi-year endorsement deal as of October 2023, shares that she had the option to sign with other shoe brands such as Nike, a familiar pattern among various greats, including Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Serena Williams, and Kevin Durant. “I wanted be a priority ’cause I could have signed easily with Nike,” Reese says in a resurfaced video shared on X, formerly Twitter. “I could assign easily with Jordan. But like everybody doing that. I don’t like doing what everybody do. I like to do the complete opposite. I’m bringing Reebok back.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Reebok (@reebok) As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Reese’s signing with Reebok was the company’s first major Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal. In her post, Reese shares that it will open doors for her own signature shoe to be released in the near future. She also credits her relationship with Shaquille O’Neal, who serves as...

The “Prime Effect” should not be ignored. Deion Sanders, who first received the nickname “Prime Time” by a former high school teammate — with it later morphing into “Coach Prime” while coaching at Mississippi’s Jackson State University — has the title for earned reasons. The night the nickname was born, he scored 37 points and had back-to-back dunks for his basketball team, he recalls during an interview with Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show.” Sanders proved himself to be talented in various sports and would ultimately be chosen by the Atlanta Falcons as fifth overall NFL draft pick in 1989, per StatMuse. He played for 14 seasons in the NFL and walked away with two Super Bowl rings, Pro Football Hall of Fame states. Sanders’ background would lead him into the world of coaching. Between 2012 and 2019 he took on several coaching jobs at Texas high schools, including Prime Prep Academy (which he co-founded), Triple A Academy, and Trinity Christian High School. In September 2020, he...

Shaquille O’Neal’s Authentic Brands Group (ABG) deal continues to pay off. As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, O’Neal’s agreement with the brand management company in 2015 allowed the group to profit from his name and likeness in merchandise and endorsements. The Hall of Famer joins its roster of other prominent names such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jackson. “We’re thrilled to have a true business partner in Shaq,” Nick Woodhouse, ABG president and chief marketing officer, told ESPN at the time. “Through his bigger-than-life personality, he has turned himself into one of the strongest sports brands in the world.” In return for signing onto the deal, O’Neal became ABG’s second-largest shareholder, and to date he credits this as his turning point in business. “My Authentic Brands deal, I was able to ensure that hopefully I can stay around after I’m no longer on this earth,” O’Neal explained to AFROTECH™ . “And I was walking down the street one day and...

Angel Reese is heading to the WNBA. The current Louisiana State University (LSU) student, who is set to graduate on May 18, 2024, was among the 36 players to be called during the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft. The event was held on Monday, April 15, 2024, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, NY, according to NBC’s local Channel 4. Reese was the No. 7 draft pick in the first of three rounds, and she will be headed to play for the Chicago Sky alongside South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, per USA Today’s For the Win. They will be guided by head coach by Teresa Weatherspoon. “ANGEL” in the SKY👼🏽💙💛 pic.twitter.com/P0h60oFSXi — Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 16, 2024 “It’s a great moment. I’m super excited to go into the W,” Reese explained during an interview on “Today.” “This has always been a dream for me and a dream come true. And then with amazing girls, only 15 girls get to be selected to come to New York and have this experience. And as a little...