15 Athletes Who Lived Way Above Their Means

JAY Z and D'USSE Cognac Host The Official Legends of the Summer After Party - Chicago

We all know that pro athletes make a lot of money. Even those who aren’t superstars get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of the league minimum, making them rich no matter how you spin it. Unfortunately, when you hand young people a lot of cash in a short matter of time, they don’t always make the best financial decisions. For that reason, here are 15 athletes who have proven that they’re living out of their means—even if fans think that they’re worth more money than they really are.

Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images

Kenny-Anderson

15. Kenny Anderson (NBA)

Kenny Anderson was an All-Star caliber point guard for years in the NBA, but because of poor business investments, the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets star fell on hard times. Although he made more than $60 million in career earnings from just salary, Anderson was forced into bankruptcy in 2005.

Photo via YouTube

bill-buckner

14. Bill Buckner (MLB)

As if life wasn’t hard enough for former MLB player Bill Buckner, who is famously remembered for his costly error during the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets that proved the Curse of the Bambino for the Boston Red Sox was still very real at that time, he had to file for bankruptcy in 2008, too. Owning a car dealership for years, once the business flopped, so, too, did Buckner’s net worth.

Photo via Flickr/gary_dunaier

2014 GQ Men Of The Year Party - Carpet

13. Scottie Pippen (NBA)

Arguably the best sidekick a star player could ask for, Scottie Pippen may have been the Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman act, winning six titles together, but he wasn’t as clutch when it came to his financial game. Rumored to have purchased a private jet, Pippen is believed to have blown all of the $120 million he made during his playing days, forcing him to file for bankruptcy.

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for GQ

Saks Fifth Avenue And Off The Field Players' Wives Association Host Charitable Fashion Show

12. Michael Vick (NFL)

Michael Vick was once considered a generational talent who was going to evolved the quarterback position. And while he had some solid seasons for the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles, due to extreme attorney fees following his dog-fighting scandal, he for forced into $20 million worth of debt and filed for bankruptcy in 2008. He has since picked himself up, but is still probably fighting his way back.

Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Saks Fifth Avenue

Marion Jones Sentenced For Lying About Steroid Use

11. Marion Jones (Track & Field)

After seeing her reputation and career achievements get tainted following a PED investigation, former Olympic star Marion Jones didn’t just lose her medals. That’s because she ended up filing for bankruptcy in 2013 due to attorney fees and a major drop in income to keep up with her assets and spending habits.

Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images

Lingerie Bowl - Locker Room

10. Lawrence Taylor (NFL)

One of the most dominating players in NFL history, Lawrence Taylor was as dynamic as a defender as they come, showing versatility and speed on the field. His lifestyle off the gridiron was just as wild, though, as he filed for bankruptcy in 2009 after dealing with a drug addiction and poor spending habits, even though he was once worth more than $10 million.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images For Horizon Productions

Celebrity Big Brother - Contestants Enter The House

9. Evander Holyfield (Boxing)

Like another boxing legend you’ll see on this list, former champ Evander Holyfield failed to spend wisely after earning millions of dollars through his illustrious career. Blowing through over $250 million, Holyfield was forced to foreclose his $50 million mansion in Georgia because he owed so much money and, eventually, he filed for bankruptcy.

Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

ESPY Style Lounge - Day 3

8. Vince Young (NFL)

A former No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, former Texas Longhorns star quarterback Vince Young may have had some success in his pro career, but after falling on hard times on the field and off of it, VY blew more than $26 million in seven years in the league, filing for bankruptcy in 2014.

Photo by J.Sciulli/WireImage for ESPN

mark-brunell

7. Mark Brunell (NFL)

Although many of us see him each day on ESPN as an analyst, former NFL quarterback Mark Brunell isn’t necessarily well off financially due to some bad choices. Earning $50 million during his playing days, the lefty signal-caller filed for bankruptcy in 2010 after listing an insane $25 million in liabilities and just $5 million in assets after bad business deals fell through.

Photo via YouTube

Baseball Stars Testify On Steroid Use Before House Committee

6. Curt Schilling (MLB)

A World Series hero thanks to his phenomenal performance against the New York Yankees with a bloody sock during the 2004 ALCS, pitcher Curt Schilling wasn’t so dominant when he started his video game company. Taking out a $75 million loan, he was forced to close the company and declare for bankruptcy. He has an analyst job with ESPN to make solid money, but he isn’t earning near what he was.

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Lenny Dykstra Celebrates the launch of "Players Club" Magazine

5. Lenny Dykstra (MLB)

Worth more than $58 million at one point in his life, former MLB All-Star Lenny Dykstra fell on hard times fast following his playing days. After filing for bankruptcy in 2009, Dykstra was sent to prison just three years later for bankruptcy fraud, making his situation one of the saddest for any athlete, current or former.

Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Diego Maradona Holds a Press Conference In Rome

4. Diego Maradona (Soccer)

An absolute legend and mentioned in the same breath as the great Pele, Argentina’s soccer golden boy Diego Maradona was sidelined by tax authorities in Italy after it was discovered he owed more than $54 million in unpaid taxes. The move forced the former player and coach into bankruptcy.

Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Nevada Boxing Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

3. Mike Tyson (Boxing)

One of the most polarizing athletes in the history of sports, former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson is also a poster boy for what not to do when you make millions of dollars. While he has grown into more of a entertainer than just athlete these days, there’s no denying that he’s still trying to make up for poor financial decisions in his past, which includes blowing more than $300 million.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

"Iverson" Premiere - 2014 Tribeca Film Festival

2. Allen Iverson (NBA)

There probably are a lot of sports fans out there who are familiar with the sad financial state of former NBA MVP Allen Iverson. A, presumed, Hall of Famer when eligible, Iverson made more than $200 million during his great career, but overspent in a bad way and invested in businesses that flopped, leading to him filing for bankruptcy as he tried to hang onto the sport for a little longer than he wanted to in order to get big paychecks in return.

Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival

antoine-walker

1. Antoine Walker (NBA)

In an NBA career that lasted 15 seasons, former first-round pick Antoine Walker earned around $110 million in salary alone. One would think that would be impossible to blow, but Walker did just that, filing for bankruptcy in 2010 after claiming $4 million in assets and $13 million in liabilities. The main culprit of Walker’s financial decline? A gambling habit.

Photo via Flickr/highstylemarketingandpr

Written by Nick Dimengo

Graduate of the University of Kentucky. Cleveland sports fan. Frustrated respecter of LeBron James. Influencer of bad ideas. In addition to Worthly/Housely, I'm a regular contributor to Bleacher Report, Scout, Esquire and Maxim, and run or bike way too much for my own good when not writing. The day a Cleveland sports team wins a title is the day I can officially say my life is complete.