One of the biggest distractions for NBA players has always been women; divorces, baby mommas, multiple girlfriends, etc., negatively impacting them. Due to their name, influence, wealth and fame, athletes attract various kinds of women; primarily those who are attracted to them for their financial status.
As a result, athletes' focus can shift to the wrong things, leading to a rise of life-changing problems, such as financial ones. This becomes a domino effect, making it harder for players to focus on their on-court performances.
Instead of focusing on someone who will appreciate them for who they are, players become victims of women with hidden motives, leading to a series of unnecessary problems off the court.
Not all women, nor men, are the same. However, there is a fine line between what is real and what isn't. With today's social media evolution, this issue is becoming even more dramatic.
Due to AI, nobody knows what is real and what isn't anymore, neither do our favorite players, who seem to get easily influenced by a female online presence.
"They'll stalk your account, bro. I'll stalk your account if I'm a girl, and I'll be like, 'Okay, these are the types of girls.' They got websites that will show you everything that you like. He like this type of girl, and they'll create a profile based off of that. So, when they reach out to you, it's like you're gonna hit them back bro," former NBA player Eddy Curry said .
"And then, they're like, 'Facetime me.' You like, 'Cool, I'll Facetime you.' Then, I'll know you're real. Then, you Facetime them, they screenshot you, they'll take their picture off, and put some child s–t up there, some bulls–t. And then, they'll hit you like, 'If you don't want this to come out, you gotta pay me.' And you gotta pay em' bro. With AI, this s–t look too real," he added.
Every individual with wealth is a target for getting scammed, not just athletes. People keep finding new ways to approach them and take their hard-earned money. If one is not careful, these situations can quickly get out of control. Although in the players' luck, Curry speaking out will help spread awareness of this problem.
Since retiring from the game, Curry has worked with the NBPA as a mentor and consultant for young athletes, speaking to them about the dangers of money, fame, and poor decision-making. To mitigate these situations, Curry and the Players' Association have implemented innovative approaches.
"We did this thing with the rookies this year. We had a segment called "Trust Issues". It was so called how they broke it down. They had these big a-s TV screens, and it was a different Instagram account on every screen. Each of the players had to go through the Instagram account and figure out which one was real, which one was fake, what's fake about it, all that type of s–t. Every one of these accounts really got money from a player. Every one of em' was fake. Every one of em' really extorted somebody," Curry said.
The NBA is quick to find solutions to these problems to protect its players. Through these types of drills, athletes will become more aware of their surroundings and the risks they are exposed to. In the players' world, there are no rules or exceptions; the sooner they realise that, the easier it will be to deal with these difficulties.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
