Playing in the NBA definitely comes with financial opportunities that an "average Joe" will never experience. At the same time, many current and former players have pointed out that the money is not as straightforward as it seems to the fans.
Between taxes, agent commissions, family responsibilities and careers that can end with one injury, many of them have opened up on why even multi-million dollar contracts need careful planning.
Recently, Los Angeles Lakers head coach J.J. Redick said on a podcast that an average NBA career lasts about four to five years, meaning many players never even reach a second contract. From his viewpoint, a player earning around $10 million during that span may not be financially secure after taxes and other responsibilities are taken into account.
Former NBA stars Gilbert Arenas and Shaquille O'Neal have also shared some similar thoughts over the years. While Agent Zero once said "NBA money isn't real money" because of how much disappears through taxes, agent fees and other lifestyle expenses, Shaq has also admitted that he burned through his first million-dollar paycheck without realizing the taxes.
However, not everyone sees those expectations the same way. Barstool Sports' Adam Ferrone, a.k.a. Rone, recently pushed back on the growing trend of NBA players discussing how quickly millions of dollars disappear.
The Barstool Sports personality doesn't have much sympathy for the NBA players' argument. During a recent podcast segment, one questioned why athletes often point to taxes as if they are dealing with something incomparable to everyone else earning a paycheck.
"There's a trend right now where athletes are like, 'How did you spend your first million? Or other athletes, like, J.J. Redick, talking about what $10 Million does for an NBA player? And every single one of them are like, 'Well, what you don't realize is Uncle Sam takes 50% off the top,'" Rone said .
"As if they're the only people who pay f—king taxes. Everybody pays taxes. If you work at McDonald's, you have to f—king give a bunch of it to taxes. If you make $100,000 a year, you have to give a bunch of it to taxes. Talk about tone deaf. Dudes who are, like, '$40 million, actually f—king, you have to give your mom $150,000 car. You have to pay off a house for your dad.' It's like, shut the f–k up. That is infuriating."
His frustration was not remotely concerned with the players making millions; it's certainly what they deserve. It was more about how these comments are taken by an "average Joe" dealing with the same financial obligations on a much lower income.
If we try to understand the players' side, none of them are comparing themselves to the average American worker. Their point is about the uncertainty that comes with focusing everything on basketball.
Injuries, roster moves, or even bad performances can end their careers in the blink of an eye, well before the age of 30, leaving only a short window to earn enough money for their lifetimes. That is why Redick and others have argued that looming at a contract rarely tells the full story.
Even with the above explanation, the financial gap between NBA players and the average American taxpayer is difficult to ignore.
The average NBA salary in 2026 sits around $11.9 million, while the NBA's median salary is around $5.7 million. Even players on minimum-salary contracts earn around $1.16 million per season.
By comparison, the median annual salary in America is about $64,220, or roughly $1,235 per week, per Fidelity . Even workers with Master's degrees earn just over $103,000 annually on average, and that figure doesn't even stand in front of most NBA role players' salaries.
Taxes are the center of discussion here, but pro athletes are hardly the only people paying them. According to the IRS , nearly 139 million individual tax returns were processed in 2026, with around 90 million refunds issued. But the difference, of course, comes after those taxes are paid.
An NBA player making $10 million a season can still afford multiple homes, luxury cars and long-term investments after taxes. On the other hand, most American homes are trying to balance mortgage or rent payments, healthcare costs, childcare and rising grocery bills.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jul 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
