15 Years Before Minting $227,759,827 in the NBA, DeMar DeRozan ‘Proudly Finessed’ $450 From High School Kids: “It Was Project X Before Project X”

DeMar DeRozan is one of the more seasoned veterans in the NBA. He may not have won any major accolades yet, but thanks to him the midrange jumper is still existent in today’s 3-point-centric league. Having spent 14 years as one of the best forwards in the NBA, the 6-foot-6 star has managed to rack up $227,759,827 in total contract earnings. Today, he is worth $90 million. However, as a high schooler, Deebo had to resort to other methods to earn money. By charging kids $5 as an entry fee to get into Master P’s house party, DeRozan once revealed he pocketed as much as $450.

DeMar DeRozan has had to overcome countless hardships to obtain the success he has today. Growing up in Compton, the now-star was accustomed to all sorts of violence and illegal activities. Despite being surrounded by such a hostile environment, Deebo’s mother did a great job of keeping him focused on his goal. Unlike many other children in the neighborhood, DeMar didn’t commit any crimes. However, there was a time when he tricked several kids to earn $450 as a high schooler.

DeMar DeRozan earned $450 from Master P’s “Project X” type party

DeMar DeRozan recently made an appearance on Paul George’s Podcast P. During the recent episode, co-host Dallas Rutherford was recollecting an incident from their high school days. Rutherford asked DeMar whether he had any memory of the party ‘Master P’ threw.

“Do you remember the party that he had at his house? It was our senior year, anyone who was going Division 1 had like a glow stick on and it was a great night.”

Giving a reference to the movie “Project X”, the Bulls Forward revealed that the party was “going crazy”. While Brandon Jennings was having a “little bit too much fun that night”, DeRozan found a way to finesse students into earning money. Standing at the door, Deebo was charging $5 per student. Keep in mind, that this was an open-for-all party. Yet, the eventual USC Trojan prospect collected as much as $450 that night.

“I was charging people at the door $5 to get in. It was a free party. It really was Project X before Project X bro. Like it was going crazy. And I remember getting there and I was charging people $5 to get in. I did it for like 30 minutes. I remember I collected like $450, right? I pocked that sh*t. Nobody knew,” DeRozan recollected.

While student-athletes of the likes of Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday, and DeMar made it to the party, PG13 revealed that he unfortunately missed the gathering. Instead, George spent his time being “bored as sh*t” in Palmdale.

DeRozan has racked up a $90 million net worth

Gone are the days when Deebo needed to finesse high school students for a few hundred dollars. As of today, the 34-year-old has a staggering $90 million net worth, managing to do so by making some smart financial decisions. Some of these include investing in a sneaker company, releasing his own clothing line, and being endorsed by high-profile brands.

Deebo uses the platform that he has for the betterment of society. Apart from donating to numerous charities, DeRozan also preaches quite a bit about the importance of mental health. Irrespective of the franchise he’s playing for, DeMar makes a conscious effort to leave a positive mark on the community.