Home

NBA

$116,000,000 Goes Down the Drain as LeBron James’ Ex-Lakers Teammate Struggled to Even Afford Child Support

Published 12/21/2023, 10:25 AM EST

Follow Us

USA Today via Reuters

Imagine being an NBA Champion alongside the great Kobe Bryant and sharing the court with another icon, LeBron James. Not only that but earning rich financial rewards on top of worldwide fame. Well, former LA Lakers Shooting Guard Trevor Ariza had it all- from on-court success to a lavish lifestyle, including fancy cars, mansions, and personal chefs. However, due to poor financial choices, he has gone from having $116 million to his name to struggling to pay for child support.

Trevor was picked by the New York Knicks in the 2004 NBA Draft. After 18 long seasons, he last played for the Lakers alongside LeBron and retired in 2022 with one Championship (2009) under his belt with Kobe Bryant. Despite his success and the millions he made during his career, he is no longer able to support his opulent lifestyle, and Jacob Turner, former MLB star, broke down the details of Ariza’s situation in a recent social media post.

The price you pay for perfection

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Jacob shared a well-elaborated post on X, highlighting Trevor’s journey from a life of luxury to financial struggles, while serving as a stark reminder to avoid the mistakes he made. Trevor retired, having earned a staggering $116 million throughout his NBA career. However, as Jacob points out, Trevor’s biggest mistake was choosing “A lifestyle that was based on yearly earnings not investment savings. The biggest mistake I see athletes and any high earners make is building a lifestyle that is priced for perfection.”

For Jacob, the tips for sustainable financial stability are “No bad investments, Continued earning power, and Returns far surpassing expectations.” The antidote for superstar athletes is to “Build a lifestyle that has a margin of safety. One that does not require everything to align perfectly.” The race to perfection without savings will be the downfall of every superstar, as he puts it. 

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

After being picked by the Knicks in 2004, Ariza played for 9 other franchises in the NBA. A journeyman career reached its pinnacle when he signed for LA Lakers in 2008 and won the championship a year later. After playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, and Sacramento Kings among other top sides, he was picked by the Lakers again last season. But was left without a team this summer as trouble brewed.

Earlier this year Ariza had to plead for a reduction in the child support payment he was going to pay his ex-wife Bree Anderson for their two children. After a settlement, the amount was reduced largely from what Anderson demanded earlier.

Trevor Ariza is struggling to pay child support

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

In October, Ariza’s ex-wife agreed to receive a payment of $10k per month for child support, significantly less than the $60k she asked for a few months earlier. Anderson had insisted on a hefty amount claiming they lived lavishly while together and their children should continue to enjoy such a lifestyle. However, Trevor claimed his income had dried up since he left the NBA in 2022 and depleted his savings saying he was trying to cut down on his expenses. The ex-Laker star said he no longer makes an average monthly salary and lives off of a $418,000 one-time payment from the NBA plus $4,000 from a rental property.

LeBron James Pens Heartfelt Welcome Message to Ja Morant Upon NBA Return

Hence, the two parties agreed to reduce the child support amount to a lowly five-figure sum, while Anderson won’t receive any spousal support from Ariza. Among his monthly expenditures are $13,000 for his mortgage, $13,000 for his first older son Tajh’s child support, $14,000 for multiple cars, and $19,000 for “other” expenses. The settlement includes Ariza covering all school and medical expenses for his children

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Watch This Story – “Lakers unveil banner for LeBron James and Co’s 1st ever in-season glory”

Stay connected with us for the latest stories and updates about your favorite athletes!

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Tsuktibenla T Jamir

395Articles

One take at a time

Tsuktibenla T Jamir is an NBA author at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Masters in Journalism from the prestigious Delhi School of Journalism, this Nagaland native combines her academic prowess with her passion for the game to craft compelling narratives that bring the NBA to life. She finds immense joy in dissecting the journeys of the athletes who make the game larger than life.
Show More>

Edited by:

Ruth John