Over the past few months, a string of pro athletes have drawn attention for comments about just how far a massive contract really goes. Carmelo Anthony argued that $100 million is not as life-changing as it sounds. Former NFL cornerback Joe Haden detailed how a $50 million deal can shrink to around $1 million after homes, cars and other major expenses. C.J. McCollum, meanwhile, said a $2 million NBA salary can vanish so quickly that he relied on a $12,000 energy drink endorsement to get by.
Amid all that, Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma stepped in with a very different perspective.
Kuzma pushed back on the recent money talk, describing it as “exhausting” and pointing to a familiar culprit: not the financial system itself, but the expensive habits that can follow sudden wealth.
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Here was Kuzma’s full message: “Ngl it’s exhausting hearing athletes break down how their millions ‘aren’t really millions’ after taxes and fees. 40M after taxes is still 40M. The real issue isn’t the system, it’s lifestyle creep. Nobody told you to live like a king, buy 5 cars, or move with a 10‑person entourage. Modest is allowed.”
Kuzma also reacted to a social media user who noted that everyday people are dealing with taxes, bills and rising costs without multimillion-dollar salaries to cushion the blow.
“And they say it like they are going to get empathy from regular folks that are using credit rewards points for groceries right now,” he said. “Wild.”
That disconnect has been the most frustrating part of these viral athlete money breakdowns. Haden, for example, said he bought a house for his parents, cars for his brothers and several vehicles for himself. McCollum explained that taxes took as much as $1.25 million from his $2 million salary, with another 4% going to agency fees and 15% earmarked for “marketing.” As Kuzma sees it, the issue is not that millions stop being millions — it is how quickly luxury spending can make even enormous paychecks feel smaller.
Meanwhile, Anthony said an athlete can lose up to 60% of their contract in taxes, suggesting that $100 million over five years is really more like $5 million. That math already does not add up, but Anthony then said you have to “live” on that $5 million. That means doing things like getting a house, taking care of your mom, and agency fees. And suddenly, much of that money is gone.
Nobody’s faulting these athletes for doing nice things for their families. That’s noble that they want to help, and it’s excellent that they have the means to do so.
But Kuzma’s second tweet especially rings true. There are plenty of people around the world with a lot less money who are barely making ends meet. To hear a “woe is me” type of tale from an athlete feels more out of touch than inspiring better financial practices.
