T.J. Ford, a former NBA player and currently an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, has recently shared how he arrived in the league and the first piece of advice he received before turning professional.
It was moments after he was drafted by the Bucks in 2003, when Sam Cassell assured him that with 50 million dollars he would “never go broke”.
Those words he has chosen to highlight in recent remarks on the DraftKings podcast.
“The day I was drafted, Sam (Cassell) called me. On our way back to Houston, he accompanied me to train,” Ford said.
“Sam was the first person to sit down with me and tell me that if you earn 50 million in this league, you should be able to be set for life,” he added.”
“50 or 100 million dollars. It doesn’t matter… And that has stuck with me to this day,” he added.
It should be noted that Ford was selected with the 8th pick in the 2003 draft by the Bucks, and Cassell was on the roster at that time.
Undoubtedly, he was his main support after two years at the University of Texas.
After Milwaukee, he went on to play for the Toronto Raptors, the Indiana Pacers, and finished his career with the San Antonio Spurs, retiring in 2012.
His averages were 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 429 official games.
His career earnings in the NBA are estimated at 41 million dollars.
