Klay Thompson is 23, a part of the young core of the Golden State Warriors, a guy who already is considered one of the league’s better shooters. He’s still on his rookie deal, so he’s “only” going to make $2.2 million this season, and not much more next season.
He’s going to make a little less this week — the league fined Thompson $35,000 for his involvement in the dust up with the Pacers this week.
But Klay won’t notice because doesn’t get his bi-weekly checks from the Warriors anyway — they go to his father, Mychal, who gives him a weekly allowance. Seriously. And is dad is going to cut his allowance after that fine. Just for the record again, Klay is 23.
Mychal — the former No. 1 overall pick and part of the Showtime Lakers who is now a Lakers radio broadcaster — has said on the air in Los Angeles more than once that he gets Klay’s checks and puts them in the bank then gives his son a $300 a week in spending money. The elder Thompson takes care of all the bills.
CSNBayArea.com had excerpts of a recent Mychal radio broadcast talking about his son’s finances.“He will [figure it out] when he sees that cash envelope show up a little short this week,” said Mychal, a two-time NBA champion in his own right.
Mychal, while watching the ruckus unfold, was hoping Klay wouldn’t lose his temper and get involved.
“Then Roy Hibbert turned his back & [Klay] was like ‘now’s my chance’!” Mychal said. “I was like ‘you idiot’!”
On some level, I wish more parents would do this for their NBA player sons — or could be trusted to do it without blowing the money. Far too many NBA players start living like they’re Jay-Z once the game checks start rolling in, living basically paycheck-to-paycheck. The average NBA player is in the league less than five years, those checks dry up and then there is nothing left. It would be great if someone helped more of those young players build for their futures (some do, it should be noted).
But Klay Thompson has not only his rookie deal but also a couple nice contracts coming after that — if you can shoot the rock you can play in the league a long time. Klay is averaging 16.2 points per game this season (better than his father’s career average of 13.7) and is shooting 38.1 percent from three (but just 41.4 percent overall). At some point, once there is a nice next egg built up, Klay should take charge of his own finances. Just an idea.