When Chris Paul was drafted to the league he turned down a substantial amount of money. The NBA player had been drafted in 2005 as the No. 4 draft pick by the New Orleans Hornets, Fox News reports. He was just 19 years old at the time. During an interview with Forbes, Paul mentioned he had just $151 in his bank account as a college student at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, when he entered the league. One of his earliest actions was to bring on board a financial advisor, which ultimately resulted in him receiving an upfront offer of $100,000. However, his parents interceded, leading Paul to accept nearly a quarter of the initial offer. “My financial advisor who we hired, they said they would send me $100,000 and my parents said, ‘No that’s too much,'” he told Forbes. During an appearance on “The Shop,” he elaborated further stating, “Y ou know what happened? I was at Wake in Winston. I went to the bank right up the street just so I could see what the statement looked...

Promising opportunities are on the way for college athlete Great Osobor. ESPN reports Osobor, the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, has settled on the University of Washington after entering the NCAA transfer portal. The forward previously played for Utah State University and had already expressed interest in moving to Washington after Utah coach Danny Sprinkle was hired on as the school’s newest coach, according to Fox Sports. “I would like to thank God for putting me in this position,” Osobor said, according to ESPN. “Washington will allow me to maximize my potential as a player in my final year of college basketball. Coach [Danny] Sprinkle has been with me every step of the way since I came from England, and I cannot wait to help the Huskies get back to the NCAA tournament.” Osobor’s move also signals a great precedence in the age of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. The outlet notes he has agreements, such as marketing assurances, in place that will set his NIL...

Brittney Griner cites the pay gap as her motivation for wanting to play basketball for Russia in the past. On February 17, 2022, the WNBA athlete had landed at the Sheremetyevo International Airport near Moscow as she was set to play for the Russian Premiere League’s UMMC Ekaterinburg. It was the off-season for the WNBA, and playing overseas would afford Griner the opportunity to earn greater dollars than what she made playing in the WNBA. Though the events that followed have been widely publicized, including her detainment by Russia for carrying vape cartridges with small amounts of cannabis oil and her subsequent 293-day imprisonment, the reason she was there in the first place has been drawing more attention. Per Just Women’s Sports, the Russian team had been known to offer significant compensation to WNBA players. Those who have gone overseas to play for the team include Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. “The whole reason a lot of us go over is the pay gap,” Griner said during her...

For over a decade, Stephen A. Smith has been recognized as one of the faces of ESPN. Before becoming a host on “First Take,” the veteran sports broadcaster hosted “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on ESPN Radio from 2005 to 2008, per ESPN Press Room. By 2011, Smith returned to host a weekday local show on ESPN Radio 98.7FM in New York, NY, and a local show on ESPN LA 710AM in Los Angeles, CA. In an interview with “Earn Your Leisure” podcast, Smith recounted being fired from ESPN in 2009. He explained that the reason for his departure was that his contract at the time did not align with what he believed he should earn. “I thought that I deserved more than they offered,” Smith shared on “Earn Your Leisure. “I was appalled at the offer they made me. I did not like it. I did not appreciate it. I felt disrespected. And I said ‘No.’” Smith admitted that his disapproval with the offer he received was based on the acclaim and accolades that were pouring in for him. However, he says when he...

The Antetokounmpo family doesn’t play when it comes to their own. Nike has been a long supporter of Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family since the very beginning of his career in 2013, and it’s also what encouraged the NBA superstar to pass on another endorsement deal with one of the athletic apparel company’s competitors. According to Bleacher Report, during an appearance on the “Thanalysis Show,” Antetokounmpo recalled the moment he decided to walk away from a deal at Adidas because he was in a position where he needed to help support his family. After an initial offer featuring a deal for both Giannis and his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Adidas backtracked on the plan, prompting Giannis to turn down the proposal. “[An Adidas representative] brought the contract and put it in front of me, and I’m like, ‘Okay great, where is my brother’s?’” Antetokounmpo explained, per Bleacher Report. “And he was like, ‘We’re not going to sign your brother’s today. You’re going to sign yours,...

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...

Michael Jordan is still breaking records two decades after retiring.

Goalsetter is helping to bring financial literacy to the sports world in its latest partnership. The fintech platform has joined TeamSnap — a leading sports team management app — to support an increase of underserved youth having equal access to sport participation, according to a press release shared with AfroTech. The goal at hand is for the young athletes to have both physical and financial well-being. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Goalsetter (@goalsetterco)