The NBA is one of the most lucrative professional sports leagues in the world, certainly the most lucrative in the sport of basketball. Numerous players from the league make it to the annual list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. However, as a sport, basketball isn’t as lucrative globally as it is in North America.
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Outside of the NBA, most leagues don’t pay enough for the players to sustain the lavish lifestyle American stars experience.
During a recent appearance on the Thanalysis Show, NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki talked about the difference in pay structures in the European leagues as compared to the NBA. The German recalled his second-division days while playing in Europe and revealed how he used to make only a couple hundred euros a month.
Nowitzki was drafted into the league in 1998 as the ninth overall pick. Before that, he played for DJK Würzburg for four years. The NBA veteran said that the year that he left the second division team, they were promoted to the first division. So, the payment for his stint there used to be equivalent to the reputation of the league.
Nowitzki told Thanasis Antetokounmpo, “No [I wasn’t getting paid much] just a couple hundred euros a month.”
To put things into perspective, the Milwaukee Bucks offered Nowitzki a three-year, $4.7 million contract in his rookie year after drafting him.
Meanwhile, Thanasis also said that he was getting paid a few hundred Euros while playing second and third division in Europe. In comparison, NBA G-League (America’s second division) salaries start from $40k a year.
When asked if he has any word of advice for the kids who wish to come to America to live their basketball dream, Nowitzki said that having a passion for the game is the key. Everything else can be managed and gets handled with time, but one can only survive those hardships if they truly love the game of basketball.
