Larry Sanders...Why I quit Basketball

[hwangjini_1]

good find.
hope all the best for him. Looks like a genuine guy, unlike how the media portrays him. There will always be a place in the league for a talent like him if he ever decides to return.

that sums it up for me. good for sanders, i was impressed with his perspective and approach to life. he is financially set, why do something you don't value highly, when you can do things you do value highly.

i hope ainge talks to sanders and arranges for him to approach the celtics FIRST when or if he decides to return to basketball. a year or two off may help him see things differently.

[mainevent]

good find.
hope all the best for him. Looks like a genuine guy, unlike how the media portrays him. There will always be a place in the league for a talent like him if he ever decides to return.

Let's recap, he signed a big fat contract last season, then figured out that he really "didn't want to be in the NBA" and wants to do "what's best for his family". As a result, he's going to collect $11 million this season and roughly $2 million per year for the next 7(!) years. Seems real "genuine" to me.

Welcome to the world of contract negotiation.

Also, he clearly gave the Bucks more value than he was paid in the first three years of his rookie contract -- otherwise they wouldn't have signed him to such a large extension.  The Bucks aren't victims.

It's also really okay to not be angry all the time at people you've never met.

TP

[hwangjini_1]

That's all great. But it doesn't justify being paid millions by an NBA club to NOT play basketball.

i prefer this to him simply going through the motions of playing so as to collect the additional $22 million.

[Celtics4ever]

  I don't have a problem with him deciding that there are more important things in life than basketball.

Like weed?

[hwangjini_1]

good find.
hope all the best for him. Looks like a genuine guy, unlike how the media portrays him. There will always be a place in the league for a talent like him if he ever decides to return.

Let's recap, he signed a big fat contract last season, then figured out that he really "didn't want to be in the NBA" and wants to do "what's best for his family". As a result, he's going to collect $11 million this season and roughly $2 million per year for the next 7(!) years. Seems real "genuine" to me.

koz, honestly, you are talking out your ass here aren't you? you don't know him or his justifications or reasoning. you do have a personal take and that is what i see here. you post better stuff than this.

[Monkhouse]

  I don't have a problem with him deciding that there are more important things in life than basketball.

Like weed?

And you know this how?

[howl1309]

If, right now, not playing basketball is the best decision for Larry Sanders, than he owes it to himself to not play basketball right now. He came across as if he had really thought about what was important to him and weighed his options.  If this puts him on the path to better mental health, than he should be applauded for making the 'difficult' choice of leaving millions of dollars on the table.

I don't understand the anger he gets from people.  Is it just because he priorities his happiness over more wealth?? Is it because the rest of us need to work even if we are unhappy?

[Quetzalcoatl]

That's all great. But it doesn't justify being paid millions by an NBA club to NOT play basketball.

Beat me to it.

If he were leaving be cause he tore his MCL and ACL, nobody would bat am eye.  The kind of depression he is going through is legit.  I've seen people go through it and I'd rather tear up my knee than get it

[footey]

TPOP

[saltlover]

  I don't have a problem with him deciding that there are more important things in life than basketball.

Like weed?

And you know this how?

I mean, he does specifically talk about using cannabis "for medical reasons" on the video, and I didn't remember him saying he intended to change that behavior immediately.  Which, again, is his decision.  That said, he's entered treatment facilities which I'm sure will try to work with him to find other ways to deal with his anxiety and depression than pot.

[KeepRondo]

Dang this dude is confused.

The thing more depressing then him is the money he gave up. He could have donated or did some good with it. But just gave it back.

[celticslove]

That's all great. But it doesn't justify being paid millions by an NBA club to NOT play basketball.

Beat me to it.

If he were leaving be cause he tore his MCL and ACL, nobody would bat am eye.  The kind of depression he is going through is legit.  I've seen people go through it and I'd rather tear up my knee than get it

true. i knew and seen people also going through depression and it is really tough and real serious.

[Fafnir]

I'm glad he's able to construct a plan that hopefully he'll be happier with. I know oh so many people who don't have that freedom (to quit jobs they hate or are making them unwell). Jealousy shouldn't translate to venom, which seems to be happening a lot on this.

[LarBrd33]

I made it 2 minutes into the video and stopped. 

Sounded ridiculous to me.  "Don't define me as a basketball player... I'm an artist... I'm a lover... blah blah blah"... come on.  That's the kind of nonsense someone has the luxury of saying when they have millions of dollars already in the bank for playing a game.  Good for him, he made ungodly amounts of money to play a playground game professionally.  Now he can quit the game and enjoy his drugs and riches.   

NOt a bad deal.  Getting paid 22 million to not play basketball.   I mean on some level i get it.  If you could take advantage of the opportunity to get a buttload of money and then pursue something you really loved, why not do it?  If he wants to go buy himself an island and spend the rest of his life lounging around and getting fat with beautiful models, he can. At some point, if you don't love basketball, why keep playing?  I'll never come close to making the type of money Larry Sanders has already made during his career.  Put yourself in that mindset.  "Here's the deal... you can spend the next 4 years doing something you hate and make 44 million... or you can just do whatever you want and we'll give you 22 mil".  22 mil/44 mil... whatevs... I could probably find a way to live the rest of my life pretty comfortably with just 1 mil.  I'd buy an affordable home... put the rest in a savings and live cheap off the interest.    WHat's the difference between 22 mil and 44 mil, really?   

Good for him.  But spare me the "don't try to define me" hogwash.  He sounds like a spoiled trust fund hippie girl when he says that.  You usually hear people say that when they aren't struggling to make a buck like the rest of us.  WIthout basketball, what's Larry Sanders doing with his life right now?

[SHAQATTACK]

That's all great. But it doesn't justify being paid millions by an NBA club to NOT play basketball.

Yup....his tune would change if he had no income coming in and had to WORK for a living