NBA Players Who Grew Up Rich
While NBA players are some of the most handsomely paid athletes in the world, with an average yearly contract in excess of $7.5 million, many NBA players grew up relatively wealthy.
Coming from family’s who were, admittedly, well-off and rich, these NBA players were given ample opportunities to compete in some of the best basketball leagues, train with the best basketball coaches and trainers, and utilize the latest and greatest basketball equipment.
Below, we are going to discuss and review the NBA players who grew up rich, wealthy, and well-off.
Wondering which NBA players grew up poor? We’ve got you covered!
Austin Rivers
Austin Rivers is an NBA player who currently plays for the Denver Nuggets. While not a household name, his father definitely is. The son of legendary NBA coach Doc Rivers, Austin benefitted greatly from his fathers connections and influence in the league.
With Doc Rivers being both an NBA coach and a former NBA player, having played for the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and San Antonio Spurs, he definitely understood the inner intricacies of the league and was able to provide that knowledge and connections to his son.
Another interesting fact, Austin Rivers is the only player in NBA history to play for his father, having done so while playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kevin Love
Kevin Love is one of the premiere power forwards and centers in the NBA. Currently playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin was drafted fifth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2008 NBA draft.
Kevin Love is a five-time All-Star, a two-time member of the All-NBA Second Team and won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.
In addition, he was also a member of the gold medal-winning United States national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2011, Love won the NBA Most Improved Player Award and led the league in rebounding.
However, and similar to Austin Rivers, Kevin Love’s father, Stan Love, was also a former NBA player, having played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.
David Lee
A former NBA player and Florida Gator, David Lee was drafted 30th overall by the New York Knicks in the 2005 NBA draft. A two-time NBA All-Star, he played 5-seasons with the Knicks and was later drafted to the Golden State Warriors, where he would win an NBA championship and spend 5 additional seasons with the team.
However, David Lee comes from one of the wealthiest families in America. His grandfather, E. Desmond Lee, teamed up with a college friend to start the Lee-Rowan Company.
In 1992, the company had revenue in excess of $100 million and was sold the subsequent year to Rubbermaid for $73.5 million.
Steph Curry
Widely regarded as one of the best point guards and shooters of all time, Steph Curry is an eight-time NBA All-Star, has been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice and has won three NBA championships.
One of the most prolific and adept shooters of all time, Steph Curry’s father, Dell Curry, played in the NBA from 1986 to 2002 and retired as the Charlotte Hornets’ all-time leader in points and three-point field goals made.
Gary Payton II
Gary Payton II is a current Golden State Warriors player and having played college basketball for the Oregon State Beavers, he was named first-team All-Pac-12 as well as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
However, he shares the same name as his more illustrious father, Gary Payton. Having played the point guard position, Gary Payton Sr. is widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time.
And although Gary Payton played for multiple teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat, he is best known for his time with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Among his many accolades, Gary Payton was the first point guard to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times, an NBA record he shares with Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant. He was also a nine-time NBA All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA Team member.
Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer is a basketball coach and former NBA player who spent the majority of his time in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons. Particularly known for his rough and, at times, violent style of play, Laimbeer played a major role with the Pistons, earning them the nickname, the “Bad Boys”.
Laimbeer was born in Boston and raised in Chicago before moving to Palos Verdes Estates in California. His father, William Laimbeer Sr. was an Owens-Illinois executive who reached the top of the corporate ladder.
The younger Laimbeer once quipped, “I’m the only player in the NBA who makes less money than his father.”
Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah is a former NBA player and is of French-American descent. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators and helped the team win back-to-back NCAA championships in 2006 and 2007.
Selected by the Chicago Bulls as the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, he would become a two-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2014 when he also was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Born in New York City, Joakim was born to French singer and former No. 3 tennis player Yannick Noah and Cécilia Rodhe, Miss Sweden and fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 1978. His grandfather was Zacharie Noah, a Cameroonian professional football player and winner of the Coupe de France in 1961.