Although NBA star Latrell Sprewell’s on-court moves were ones for the record books, he was also considered one of basketball’s “bad boys.” His professional career began in 1992 when he was selected by the Golden State Warriors, eventually becoming the leading scorer for the Western Conference All-Star team from 1994-1997. However, his personal antics would begin to overshadow his athletic ability. Regardless of his bad behavior, Sprewell would remain one of the most touted NBA players in the league. Toward the final years of his career, Sprewell was offered a 3-year $21 million contract, but he turned it down saying, “I have a family to feed.” His final season with the Minnesota Timberwolves showed a decline in his performance, but other teams were willing to take a chance on Sprewell in 2005. Unfortunately, he refused all offers. Sprewell’s plan was to wait until the teams got desperate during the trade season and sign with a team before the deadline in February of that year. Since Sprewell thought the original extension from the Minnesota Timberwolves was beneath him, no other teams bothered to make him an offer during the trade season and the 2004-2005 season was not only his last in Minnesota, but also his last season of playing in the NBA. From that point, things went downhill. Sprewell was forced to sell his yacht to help pay off the $1.3 million he owed on the boat, his home was foreclosed on because of failed payments, and he wound up going bankrupt. Today, Sprewell works as a media personality for Madison Square Garden, with a net worth of $150,000. In this case, pride truly did go before a fall.
