Talk about living within your means. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum hasn’t spent a dime of his annual $7.8 million NBA salary since he entered the league in 2017. He saves every penny, reported CNBC.
So how does the former Duke standout who was drafted third overall when he declared for the NBA draft take care of himself? By living off his endorsement deals.
“All the money I get from the Celtics, I put it in a savings account. Eventually invest in it … let it grow over time and just try to live solely on what I make off the court in endorsements,” Tatum said.
Tatum revealed the stunning news to Maverick Carter during an episode of “Kneading Dough” on Uninterrupted. At just 21, Tatum’s money management skills show he is wise beyond his years. But he has some help.
Tatum credits his mother with teaching him financial literacy. Though they lived “check to check” when he was growing up, according to Tatum his mother is his “overseer, my financial advisor, accountant, agent and my business manager.”
“As I got older and started understanding that the NBA was becoming a reality, she started talking to me about the importance of balancing all this money because it was gonna be new to both of us,” Tatum said.
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This interview isn’t the first time Tatum has stressed the importance of good money management. In March, he told the Boston Globe he implemented a savings strategy from the start.
“When I picked my agent, I told him I want to do as much off-the-court stuff as I can,” Tatum said. “Right now I’m young, so I try to do everything as much as possible. … Tomorrow is not promised. You’re not promised the next contract. You want to save all the money you can.”
The small forward has endorsement deals with Gatorade, Honey Dew Donuts and Imo’s Pizza.
