NBA players make millions of dollars during their careers. It does not matter whether they are superstars or role players; they are the best basketball players in the world – and they get paid like it.
So, surely, giving service workers at restaurants, fast-food chains and other businesses a 20 percent tip should not be a big deal. However, that is not always the case.
In an episode of the "Ball in the Family Podcast", Brooklyn Nets star Michael Porter Jr , Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball and his brother LiAngelo Ball , a pro-basketball player-turned-rapper, got into a debate about whether they are required to follow this standard and whether this culture needs to stop.
Most service workers in the U.S. get paid less than the minimum wage. As a result, they rely on the country's tipping practices to support themselves and their families. This relieves business establishments of the burden and obligation to pay their workers what they deserve, while putting pressure on customers.
But LiAngelo and Michael do not give in to such pressure. For the latter, who is expected to get paid over $38 million this 2025-26 season, the standard tip is just too costly.
"If you spending $3k on a meal, you shouldn't have to tip $600, 20 percent, to me, " Porter Jr. said . "And then Uber Eats is another thing. If the Uber Eats order is $250, why are you still tipping 20 percent when they're doing the same amount of work as if you ordered a $20 meal? It's still just bringing the meal to you."
However, he is well aware of his faults as a customer.
"So, I would say tipping culture is definitely out of control, to me," he said. "But I'm a bad tipper, I ain't gonna lie."
Although LiAngelo, who wrote the viral hit "Tweaker," shares Michael's sentiment, he is willing to tip a few bucks to servers. When he orders $400 meals, the highest tip the workers can expect from him is either $10 or $20. It gets higher under certain conditions.
"That's how I rock, for real. Unless I really like you, you know, I'm tryna flatter some s–t I'll leave a little hundo out there… I ain't doing 20 percent, I'm not gonna lie," he said . "You was great, you get a $20 from me. You was cool, I'll shoot you a 10 just for being there type s–t."
Lonzo has earned over $122 million during his nine-year NBA career, with another $10 million coming this season. During dinner dates with his partner Ally Rossel, he does not mind spending some of his cash on workers, especially when their service elevates their experience.
"Twenty percent of that is cool, for a good night… I feel like the waiter makes the night better sometimes," he said. "If you got a bad waiter, not that there are a lot of them out there, they can make the night not as good."
Whether they like it or not, like with many wealthy people, there is a double standard when it comes to these matters. They are not only expected to follow the standard, but to go beyond it.
Some players, like Shaquille O'Neal , have no problem with this expectation. He even once gave a waiter a $10,000 tip just because she wanted it .
That said, many players believe that this tipping culture has gone out of control. Porter Jr. headlines that group.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
