When basketball players make it to the NBA, it opens a door to new opportunities such as the ability to purchase the finer things in life. After Tyronn Lue made it to the league and was drafted and traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1998, he made a financial commitment that he still adheres to today.
In an interview with “The Pivot” podcast, the Los Angeles Clippers coach spoke about his journey of working toward making it into the NBA.
Raised in Mexico, MO, Lue recalled it being a challenge to be recognized for his basketball talent as it was a very small town. But after moving to Kansas City in high school, he was noticed by recruiters and colleges. The leap of faith, his upbringing and dedication, as well as personal support helped him make it to the NBA draft.
Once Lue arrived in the NBA, a main goal of his was to take care of his family. He shared that he’s been giving both his mother and grandma a monthly check for over two decades.
“When I got drafted, my mom and grandma they ain’t work another day of their life,” Lue told the show’s hosts. “They’ve been getting a check for 25 years, every month. That was a blessing for me to be able to take care of them and to see where we come from and all the struggles we had of being poor.”
He added, “My grandma and my mom, they can have anything.”
Lue recalled his financial advisor pointing out that he was sending a lot of money to his family. However, Lue pushed his concerns to the side.
“I said, ‘Man, I’d rather be broke. I don’t want to be rich and my family be broke. I’d rather be broke as long as they’re successful and as long as they’re happy, then I’m okay.”
He continued, “They did a lot raising me. If you just see all the things they did for me to get to this point. I owe them everything. I’ve made a lot of money. I’m secure with my money. I don’t have any kids so it goes to my family.”
After playing in the NBA for 11 years, Lue went on to become a professional coach, which he has been doing since 2009. During his first season as head coach of the Clippers, he led the team to its first conference finals appearance in franchise history in 2020, according to NBC Sports.
