Norris Cole 's senior year at Cleveland State was nothing short of spectacular. In 35 games where he averaged 35.7 minutes, the 6-foot-2 guard recorded 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.2 steals on 43.9 percent shooting from the field.
Although team success was lacking, his brilliant performances earned him the 28th pick of the first round in the 2011 draft, where the Chicago Bulls traded him to the Miami Heat on draft night. It didn't take long for Cole to carry his stellar college form over to the pros. He became the fourth-fastest rookie in Heat franchise history to score at least 20 points in a game.
Still, it quickly became clear that in Erik Spoelstra's stacked team, Cole would have to settle for scraps. Playing alongside a class of legends like LeBron James , Dwyane Wade , Chris Bosh , and Ray Allen meant that even better players would have struggled to secure a significant role. Yet looking back at his career from today's perspective, Cole has no regrets.
"I'm taking $50 million and my rings. You got to remember, for me and what I value, $50 million I can get anything I want. How many Rolls-Royces, how many mansions can you get? And you know in the Midwest a million dollar crib and a million dollar crib in Miami or L.A. is two different lifestyles," Cole said on the "Club 520 podcast."
Taking a back seat on a team full of future Hall of Famers wasn't a problem for Cole because he realized very early on that doing so would allow him to quickly reach the ultimate sporting pinnacle of any basketball player's career: an NBA championship. After just his first two seasons, he had two Larry O'Brien trophies next to his name.
However, during his NBA career, Cole earned just under nine million dollars from league contracts alone, adding a bit more through a few endorsement deals, though nowhere near the 50 million dollar figure tossed out by the podcast host.
When factoring in heavy player taxes and numerous other expenses, that initial sum is frequently cut in half, but Cole clearly believes that money should never be the primary fuel in the careers of professional athletes.
Still, Cole could have made serious money had things gone differently. He publicly pointed out that his decision to fire his then-agent, Rich Paul, during free agency cost him between 70 and 80 million dollars in potential NBA earnings.
This happened right around the massive 2016 salary cap spike, when average players were signing massive contracts.
Due to a damaged reputation following that fallout, he had to continue his career in China and Europe. Yet, Cole never held grudges for becoming a forgotten man .
"It's the business of basketball," Cole said . "I wasn't the first person ever to be traded and I won't be the last. So you don't take it personal. That was my attitude about it."
"I keep in contact with the championship teammates – Shane Battier, my big brother Juwan Howard, Dwyane Wade. Dwyane actually, during my season in Europe, sent me some Way of Wade gear, which I appreciated greatly," Cole added. "It's a brotherhood that never breaks. Those bonds will never be broken."
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Through Cole's statements, it is clear how much he valued being part of a collective and achieving a common goal with them, far more than a journeyman career marked by constant relocation without significant ties or success, but with a fat bank account.
Of course, that is just his view of life and mindset and it must be pointed out that both paths have their pros and cons. But at the end of the day, when everything is tallied up, Cole has a point.
He walked away from his seven-year NBA stint as a millionaire and a two-time NBA champion. Although he never got the opportunity and trust to show his full potential, he still experienced all the perks of the NBA basketball lifestyle, while creating lifelong memories and the unshakeable fact that he is a two-time NBA champion and a beloved figure in Miami.
Money dictates a lot of things in modern society, but it cannot buy respect and integrity, something Cole earned long ago on the court when he won back-to-back titles alongside his teammates.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
