Magic Rookie Anthony Black Buying Cars Like Shaq?
Orlando Magic No. 6 overall pick Anthony Black took a page out of organization alum Shaquille O’Neil by giving his family cars …sort of.
Before being drafted, The Big Diesel famously spent $500,000 of his endorsement money in one day by buying three Mercedes-Benz cars for himself and his parents.
In episode two of Anthony Black: Path To The Draft, Black gifts his younger brother Beckham Black a pair of Cars Crocs. Although it was appreciated, unlike Shaq, the only thing flashy about his Ka Chow-esque style and the purchase was the lights on the bottom of his Lightning McQueen shoes.
The different types of cars each Magic lottery pick purchased marks a stark contrast in how modern-day athletes are advised with their money versus how Shaq was spending his money without being properly educated.
When Shaq was drafted first overall in 1992, the world surrounding young athletes was significantly different. While the NBA Player’s Association has been around since 1954, players coming out of college today have more experience dealing with endorsement thanks to NIL money.
Black is part of the first wave of college athletes to take advantage of their name, image, and likeness rights, which wasn’t allowed until July 2021. Although the extravagant purchases of yesterday’s athletes still occur, it’s funny to see just how different Orlando’s latest draft pick is using his money.
Hopefully, when Black takes the court tomorrow, making his debut for the NBA Summer League Magic, his success on the court will share more similarities with Shaq than his spending habits.
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