20 Dumbest NBA Players Who Are Currently Going Broke
20 Dumbest NBA Players Who Are Currently Going Broke
The NBA is supposed to be the ultimate dream—millions of dollars, fame, endorsement deals, and a legacy that lasts forever. But for some players, the dream turned into a nightmare. Despite making life-changing money, these stars blew it all on fast lifestyles, shady entourages, and dumb decisions that left them broke, bitter, and embarrassed.
Here are the 20 dumbest NBA players who went from ballers to broke boys.
1. Allen Iverson – From $200M to Flat Broke
“The Answer” made over $200 million from contracts and endorsements. But instead of setting up his family for generations, he wasted it on gambling, private jets, and a massive entourage that followed him everywhere. Iverson’s spending was so out of control that he once allegedly blew $40K at a strip club in a single night. His saving grace? A trust fund from Reebok that he can’t touch until 2030. Without it, he’d be finished.
2. Delonte West – From NBA Courts to Street Corners
Delonte West is the tragic poster boy for wasted fortunes. He made millions in the NBA but spiraled into addiction and mental health struggles. Years later, fans spotted him homeless on the streets, begging for money. The images shocked the basketball world and showed just how quickly riches can turn to rags.
3. Antoine Walker – Gambling King Turned Pauper
Antoine Walker earned more than $108 million, but he blew it on casinos, cars, and “helping” friends who drained him dry. At his peak, Walker owned multiple luxury homes and a fleet of cars—by his downfall, he was in bankruptcy court, forced to sell nearly everything.
4. Dennis Rodman – The Worm With Empty Pockets
Rodman was larger than life, both on and off the court. But behind the fame came financial ruin. Lavish parties, five marriages, endless child support battles, and nonstop drinking destroyed his fortune. Rodman is living proof that fame without discipline equals disaster.
5. Latrell Sprewell – The Man Who Choked Away Millions
Sprewell famously choked his coach and then later choked his own finances. After refusing a $21M contract extension (saying it wasn’t enough to “feed his family”), Sprewell went broke, lost his yacht, and faced foreclosure on multiple homes.
6. Eddy Curry – A $70M Payday Gone Wrong
Once seen as the next Shaq, Eddy Curry wasted his $70M earnings on cars, houses, and reckless borrowing. At one point, he reportedly owed $2 million in unpaid loans while trying to keep up appearances. By the time his career ended, Curry was broke and in debt.
7. Shawn Kemp – Dunking On His Finances
Shawn Kemp fathered at least seven children with six different women. Add in bad business deals and failed investments, and his fortune was gone almost as fast as his dunks hit the rim. Kemp became a walking example of why you need to say no sometimes.
8. Derrick Coleman – $100M Gone Overnight
Coleman made nearly $100M during his career but blew it on terrible real estate ventures, luxury spending, and bad partnerships. When the housing market collapsed, so did his finances. He ended up filing for bankruptcy despite once being one of the highest-paid players in the league.
9. Chris Washburn – A Wasted Lottery Pick
Washburn was drafted with high expectations in the ‘80s, but addiction destroyed his career and his bank account. Within years, he was completely broke, another sad reminder that talent alone isn’t enough.
10. Vin Baker – From All-Star to Starbucks
Vin Baker earned $100M in his career but blew it on luxury cars, oversized mansions, and non-stop partying. When the money dried up, Baker humbled himself by taking a job at Starbucks, proving how brutal life after the NBA can be when you don’t protect your bag.
11. Scottie Pippen – Cheated Out of Millions
Scottie was one of the greatest to ever play, but he was underpaid during his Bulls years and then scammed out of tens of millions by shady financial advisors. Add in divorces and lawsuits, and Pippen’s fortune crumbled. He once sued for $20M in damages, trying to recoup his losses.
12. Joe Smith – A #1 Pick With $0 Left
Joe Smith made $61M in career earnings, but by the end, he had nothing left. Child support, multiple divorces, and bad money management ruined him. His downfall was so bad it became a cautionary tale inside the league.
13. Jayson Williams – Lawsuits Drained Him Dry
Williams made $100M, but his career and finances collapsed after a fatal shooting incident that led to prison time and lawsuits. Legal fees alone bled him dry, leaving nothing of his fortune behind.
14. Larry Johnson – Bad Deals, Worse Debt
Johnson was once the face of the Hornets and Knicks, pulling in millions. But between failed investments and overspending, he filed for bankruptcy. A star who should’ve had generational wealth ended up with nothing.
15. Gilbert Arenas – Agent Zero, Wallet Zero
Gilbert made over $160M, but he spent like a cartoon character. He once admitted to blowing $60K on shark tanks, plus insane car collections, guns, and random purchases. His reckless spending turned his empire into dust.
16. Kenny Anderson – The King of “Blowing It All”
Kenny earned $63M, but he openly admitted he wasted every dollar. He kept luxury cars in every city he played in, spent wildly on houses and women, and never thought about the future. Today, he works as a coach just to keep bills paid.
17. Derrick Williams – The Bust Who Went Broke
Drafted #2 overall, Derrick Williams had money raining in. But his investments tanked, and his play never justified his contracts. Without longevity in the league, his fortune vanished almost overnight.
18. Ruben Patterson – The “Kobe Stopper” Stopped by Debt
Patterson made $35M, but legal problems, bad spending, and poor money management landed him in bankruptcy court. Once calling himself the “Kobe Stopper,” he couldn’t even stop himself from financial ruin.
19. Mookie Blaylock – From NBA Star to Prison Time
Blaylock’s legal issues—including a fatal car crash—destroyed his finances. From NBA star to inmate, he’s another story of how bad decisions off the court can wipe away everything you earned on it.
20. Javaris Crittenton – A Career Wasted by Crime
Crittenton wasn’t just dumb with money—he threw his entire life away. After a promising start, he got involved in criminal activity that landed him in prison. His money? Gone. His career? Gone. His freedom? Gone.
Final Word: Millionaires to Memes
The NBA has produced legends—but also cautionary tales. These 20 players had it all: money, fame, and power. But they proved that even the fattest paychecks can disappear overnight if you’re careless, reckless, or just plain dumb.
When the lights went out and the checks stopped coming, they were left with nothing but regret—and memes roasting them online.
