It seems like today, more than ever before, the older generation has grown more and more critical of the modern NBA. Whether it's the total change in play style that, in their eyes, reflects a lack of toughness and fight that defined the 1990s and early 2000s, or the monstrous contracts today's players rack in every season, the gap between eras has never felt wider. The latter point was recently touched on by Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner , who believes money is one of the primary reasons "old-heads" tend to direct so much hate toward the players of today's day and age.
"Bro, at the end of the day, this sh-t about our bread, right? They paved the way for us, and they are not getting their dividends," Turner pointed out in his latest appearance on "Ball in the Family Podcast."
"So, basically, a role player now, or maybe even a subsidiary role player is making what the superstars is making back then. So, when old heads watch us, and see a guy averaging 13, 14 points, but they getting the same bread that someone who was averaging 30 back in the day, of course they are going to feel type of way… You got to call it what it is now," he added. "We also got to show more respect as a younger hoopers to older generation."
And truth be told, Turner is not wrong. The NBA of today is not the same league those legends walked into. The global reach has exploded and, with it, he number of international superstars is at an all-time high. Social media exposure, worldwide merchandising, international TV rights deals… all of it created a massive surge in money that is coming into the league. The one that didn't exist back in the day.
According to Basketball-Reference, the average 2025–26 NBA salary is approximately $11.8 million. To put that in perspective, during the 1990–91 season, the league's highest-paid player was Patrick Ewing at $4.3 million. That's nearly triple the amount for the top salary back then. Not to mention that Ewing was a multi-time All-Star in one of the biggest markets in the Association.
If we extend the comparison even further, Stephen Curry — today's highest-paid player — brings home nearly $60 million per season ($59,606,817). That's about 14 times what Big Pat earned. And while Curry is a generational superstar, the reality is that even mid-tier players who barely get to touch the court earn the kind of money the former players could only dream about.
So when you combine those factors, it only makes sense that some resentment bubbles up from players who feel like they were simply born into the wrong financial era.
Turner was also very clear about one more thing: respect cannot be a one-way street. While older legends might feel a certain type of way watching today's role players secure generational wealth, the younger generation also needs to understand that everything they have now was built on the shoulders of the men who played before them. The trailblazers of the league walked, so guys like Guerschon Yabusele , who earns close to the NBA's median salary ($5.5M), could run.
Yes, today's players are paid more. Yes, some old heads feel bitter about it, no doubt… but at the same time, the young generation has to honor the ones who paved the road and thank them for the benefits they enjoy today, playing in the best basketball league in the world.
Related: "People don't realize it's an investment" - Myles Turner admits he spent over $50k on Legos
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
