What Happened To Latrell Sprewell After He Turned Down A $21 Million Contract?

In 1997 Latrell Sprewell had every reason to take the $21 million contract that was offered to him by the Golden State Warriors. He was an All-Star and considered one of the best players in the NBA at that point. So what happened when he turned it down? Read on below to find out how this decision affected Sprewell’s career, and how it played out in the end.

The Early Years

Latrell Sprewell was drafted in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. In 1995, he led his team to an NBA Finals appearance against the Houston Rockets. The following season, he signed a six-year, $18 million contract extension with the Warriors.

In 1997, following a disagreement with head coach P.J. Carlesimo about playing time and shots on offense, he put his arm around Carlesimo’s neck from behind and pulled him close to his face. Carlesimo responded by pushing him away hard; one of his feet hit Sprewell’s face and he fell to the ground as coaches helped break up the altercation.

Latrell Sprewell Achievements

Latrell’s decision to turn down the contract allowed him to find a place in the NBA that was more suitable for him: he later played for Golden State, Houston, New York, and Minnesota. In 2003, he signed a three-year deal worth about $6 million dollars with Golden State. In 2004, he had an offer of about $8 million from Houston but turned it down to play for New York. In 2005, he was traded back to Minnesota and helped them reach the Western Conference finals where they lost to eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in six games.

Where Is Latrell Sprewell Now

Latrell Sprewell has been playing basketball since he was 4 years old. In 1995, he was drafted with the #4 pick by the Golden State Warriors. But in 1997, things turned south when during a team practice, Latrell snapped and attacked his coach P. J. Carlesimo for yelling at him too much. The altercation put him on the bench for 8 months and after that, he was traded to the New York Knicks in 1999 but later resigned in 2003 because of knee injuries.

Since he left basketball, he opened his own restaurant called C.J.’s Clubhouse which focuses on providing a wide range of services and facilities to help kids and their families succeed through sports programs and facilities.

As one of New York’s most innovative youth development organizations, C.J.’s Clubhouse has been repeatedly recognized for its community outreach efforts including being honored as one of New York’s Most Generous Companies by The Center for Fundraising Management (CFM).  In 2016, C.J.’s Clubhouse launched an extensive renovation project due to increasing demand from children and communities throughout New York City that needed its services in more ways than ever before.

The Lesson We Can Learn from Latrell Sprewell Journey

Latrell Sprewell may have been one of the most successful NBA stars to turn down a contract offer, but that doesn’t mean he was happy. In fact, it seemed like it was a decision he quickly regretted. You can make all the right decisions in life and still end up on the wrong path. Learn from this story and know when to say yes so you can avoid regret later in life.

One of those decisions is when to go into business for yourself. While running your own business can be incredibly rewarding, it’s not for everyone. Take it from former NBA star Latrell Sprewell, who could have earned millions after he turned down a $21 million contract with Golden State Warriors in 2001.

He had a family to feed and simply didn’t think he could earn that kind of money playing basketball anymore. That’s what he told reporters at a press conference announcing his retirement shortly after his decision was made public, anyway, so we’ll just assume that was his reasoning behind turning down such a lucrative deal!

Sources

In 1997, Latrell Sprewell refused a $21-million-dollar contract from the Golden State Warriors, saying he had a family to feed and never played again. He instead pursued a career in rap music and acting. In 2000 he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after his mother’s friend allegedly choked him. In 2003 he was arrested for fighting over a gambling debt, which led to another assault charge. In 2005, he served 70 days of hard labor in jail for his arrest.

Between 2005-2010 Sprewell was arrested at least three more times on different charges that included reckless driving and weapons possession. His last arrest came in January 2010 when he was pulled over for speeding and found to be driving without insurance or registration tags.