Photo: LISA O’CONNOR/AFP
Charles Barkleyhas some financial advice for younger NBA players: Stop buying unnecessary cars.
The NBA legend tells PEOPLE that he only drives one car — a Kia.
Barkley, 60, says when it comes to cars, he doesn’t need anything fancy. “I got a Kia. People know who I am. I don’t have to drive an expensive car. They know me.”
Barkley says he’s noticed NBA players spending “$300,000 on a car, and I’m like, ‘Yo man, everybody knows who you are. You don’t have to show them.’ "
The NBA on TNT analyst advises, “You’ve got to really save your money. Invest it well.”
Moreover, Barkley encourages successful young athletes to help those less fortunate with the money they’ve earned. “I think it’s really important to give back to your community. That doesn’t mean give all your freeloading friends and family members money, but that means you should really try to do important things in your community. That’s significant.”
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Barkley says their hefty NBA checks give players the opportunity “to change not just your family,” but “anybody you want to help” financially. “So you’ve got to make sure you use that wisely.”
Alternatively, Barkley warns that with more money, comes more problems. “You have to really, really be careful. It’s interesting, I always sit back and I saw that… Money’s a great thing to have, but it causes a lot of problems in your life. Anytime money’s involved, crazy stuff is going to happen.”
In his experience, the “number one thing you have to do” to prevent financial turmoil is to “learn to say no,” says Barkley. “Everybody’s coming for it. You have to learn to say no.”
source: people.com
