Kevin Hart’s love for sports came at a cost.
During an interview with CNBC Make It, he admits that at 24-years-old he received his first big check and splurged on sports jerseys. His collection included jerseys that showcased “a representation of a great athlete” such as Julius Erving, Reggie White, Randall Cunningham, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.
“That’s where a bunch of money went,” Hart told the outlet.
Eventually, Hart’s overindulgent spending habits caught up with him, and he realized the culprit for his depleted bank account was staring back at him from his closet.
“It felt great until I looked at that bank account and realized that I didn’t have money, and said to myself, ‘Where did my money go?’” Hart shared. “And looked at a closet full of jerseys and said, ‘Uh-oh. That’s not good.’”
“If I had to put a number on it, I would say it was stupid plus stupid, which equals stupid, okay? I don’t even feel comfortable talking about it,” Hart said, according to CNBC Make It.
Every situation has a silver lining, fortunately. Having spent his entire check, Hart understood the value of hard-earned money.
“In my defense, so many people don’t understand the value of money until they have it, and then no longer have it,” Hart expressed to CNBC Make It. “So when you have it and lose it, you understand the value of it and its importance.”
He continued: “And that’s something I’ve realized as I got older. To these younger generations, people just need to talk to them about money, so they don’t make those stupid mistakes and they can prepare for the future.”