After his first season in Ukraine, Patrick Beverley in fact got a chance to play in the NBA when the Lakers drafted him. The Miami acquired the draft right for Pat but released him soon. He went back to Europe and finally made a return when the Houston Rockets signed him in 2012. From there, Beverley proved his worth with every minute he got on the court.
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He made his way from Houston to the Clippers then to the Timberwolves and now he finally in LA. A player for the most popular NBA franchise in the world. In a recent episode of Cold as Balls, Patrick Beverley discussed how hard it was to reach the NBA. He detailed his debt and the meagre salary he lived off of.
Patrick Beverley paid off a $1.4 million debt
During the episode, Kevin Hart and Pat discussed the rise of the Lakers’ guard. The conversation led to Beverley detailing the debt he amassed by signing with the Houston Rockets. The 3-time All-Defensive player claimed that release clause from Spartak required a payment of $1.6 million.
The buyout for NBA at the time was only $250,000. So, when he joined the Rockets, Patrick Beverley also repaying a $1.4 million debt. He confessed living with his mom and receiving just $11,000 paychecks at the time.
Beverley: “I had to pay. I signed a no-NBA clause overseas. I think at the time the buyout for the NBA was only $250,000. I’m 22-years-old, I don’t know the business side of it. I’m thinking like, ‘They can pay the $1.6 million — NBA got that.’ My agent tells me, ‘No, they can only pay $250,000.’ So, I’m looking at him like ‘So, who pays the other $1.4 million?'”
He continued: “I get my first check in the NBA … that mother f**ker say $11,000. I’m living with my mom in the NBA. My mom is going out to do nails, and I’m going to NBA practice. I’m coming home like, ‘Yo, what we got for dinner?’ So like, that was my life, my first couple of years in the NBA,” Beverley explained.”
The grind🙏🏾 https://t.co/KHBC8SIdmk
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) December 30, 2022
Beverley’s tenacity paved a path to the NBA
Patrick Beverley became a certified Laker at the beginning of this season. A milestone for a man who once played for an obscure team in Ukraine. The rise has been monumental. But for Beverley, it was a wild ride which saw many highs and lows.
But without a doubt, the tool that helped him come this far has been his tenacity. Beverley’s never give up attitude is commendable. He wants to fight the battle until the last second. And say what you may, he is driven to win.
