Given that Antoine Walker earned $108 million during his 12-year NBA career, it reveals his true abilities as a player. However, after retiring from the league, the 6'9" power forward experienced significant financial difficulties. He declared bankruptcy and eventually pleaded guilty to felony bad cheque charges.
Despite these setbacks, he chose to be open about his experiences, even participating in a documentary that detailed his financial downfall. Moreover, for the 3-time All-Star, the ‘most disappointing’ part was not losing all his money but the absence of support from his loved ones and former teammates during his time of need.
Walker on what was ‘most disappointing’
During his appearance on the ‘ I Am Athlete ’ podcast, Walker discussed his challenging two-and-a-half-year experience with bankruptcy. As he struggled to learn how he lost his insane wealth, the more challenging part for him was to find himself alone - admitting to being ‘hurt’ after he realized his former teammates intentionally neglected him.
"A good friend of mine, Anthony Holt, he was like, 'You should put your story in a documentary and tell your story.' But you know why I had to film a documentary? It was the most disappointing thing. The OGs, my teammate, my bro, everybody that, when I was getting it, we partying, when I call, they went and left. They disappeared," Walker said. "It hurt me so hard cause I thought, 'This guy was really my teammate, my friend, but now I'm in a tight situation.'"
Furthermore, Antoine didn’t want financial help from anyone, but the worst part was that nobody even cared to check up on him.
"I used to have four phones. They used to ring off the hook," he added. "These phones used to ring off the hook. Now, ain't nobody calling me. I'm talking about, it could have been simple as, 'You good? I'm reading what’s in the paper, I'm reading what's happening to you. Are you OK?' I ain’t getting none of them calls."
That being said, it’s convenient to point fingers at an athlete’s choice, looking at the news of them spending millions briskly. However, Walker didn’t just admit to his wrongdoings—getting involved in gambling but not having any emotional support—he sheds light on how these NBA superstars are humans, too.
Related: Larry Jordan talks about the perks of being MJ's brother: "I would`ve lost my license except the district attorney was a big North Carolina and Michael Jordan fan"
Walker enjoyed his wealth with all his loved ones
Even though he didn't get the support he expected, ‘Employee Number Eight’ never forgot about the people he loved. Walker splurged on luxurious cars for himself, bought his mom a house with his first NBA paycheck, and took his friends on trips, covering all their expenses . But what really hurt him was his gambling addiction and the losses he faced in real estate investments.
Now, he’s turning things around by helping athletes manage their finances, sharing his experiences, and encouraging them to avoid the mistakes he made, showing he truly doesn't want anyone to go through what he did.
Related: "Once you master the mental part of the game, you become a master of the game of basketball" - When Paul Pierce gave Kobe ultimate respect before the 2010 Finals
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