NBA players can get accustomed to a lifestyle most people can only imagine, but Michael Porter Jr apparently still has his limits. During a birthday trip to Saint-Tropez, France, his former teammate Austin Rivers tested those limits with a $10,000 order of caviar.
On N3on's YouTube stream, Porter Jr. said they had dinner, and when the bill came, one particular item that Rivers had ordered immediately caught his attention.
"I get the bill and I see this dude ordered some $10,000 caviar," Porter Jr. said . "One little jar of caviar out in the can was $10,000."
Two months after the Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their disappointing season, viral photos and videos showed Porter Jr. partying with Watson, Rivers and Aaron Gordon in Saint-Tropez. The trip was part of his 28th birthday celebration. Based on the images, they were clearly having a great time together, enjoying the scenery and the nightlife that the French coastal town had to offer.
Of course, the celebration also came with a hefty dinner bill. Porter Jr. said the group's meal alone cost around $30,000, with River's caviar order accounting for $10,000 of the total.
But keep in mind that these players are multimillionaires.
Gordon and Porter Jr. have earned more than $300 million combined in NBA salaries over their careers. Rivers alone earned over $50 million in his career. At the time, Watson was expected to land a significant contract after entering unrestricted free agency.
So, for them, a $30,000 dinner bill was chump change, but not for Porter Jr., apparently. Although they split the bill, he said he was livid that Rivers spent that much on some golden caviar that people barely touched.
"People didn't even really eat it. I think two people had a scoop of it," he recalled. "He wanna get mad at me because I got mad at him. We were beefing then for like two minutes. But I was mad for a little bit."
In his seven years in the league, Porter Jr. has earned over $150 million with the Denver Nuggets and the Nets. He described financial freedom as a double-edged sword, saying that while having money eliminates financial stress, it does not necessarily bring happiness .
"You can buy things you never bought. You can do things you never did," he said. "But even that, you're going to get accustomed to that, and then you're right back to normal."
That's why Porter Jr. attempts to be frugal. In fact, he said he would be perfectly content with living a minimalist life in his hometown in Missouri after his NBA career.
"I've never played the game of basketball for money. I've never lived my life for money," he said . "I have a lot of money now, and, you know, I'm okay with a lot of money. And I'm okay also living very frugal and not really spending a lot of money, and going back to Missouri."
But for now, Porter Jr. will continue to enjoy the fruits of his labor while chasing greatness on the court. Just don't expect him to spend $10,000 on caviar like Rivers.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
