Haven't really heard much about the guy since he infamously turned down a contract offer from the Timberwolves commenting that he "had to feed his family". Spree's always had a bad rep in the league and media circles ever since the P.J. Carliesemo choking incident, but I've always had a soft fan spot for him being he is a Milwaukee native and isn't ashamed to let people know that.
Then he made news last year because his yacht down at the Port of Milwaukee got repossessed and there were reports that ownership of his house in River Hills was in jeopardy. And now the latest development Spree has officially lost his family's home.
Now I know there are surely a lot more important things going on in the world today that are more post-worthy (hell I got my own problems I don't really have time to worry about someone else's) but it's just troubling to me to see yet another African-American athlete in this position financially.
Especially when you note that NBA contracts are mostly guaranteed money, unlike the NFL (which is why you see so many players play at an All-Star level one year and then play like crap the year after they have signed a huge extension with guaranteed money). The average fan would think you play a couple of years at a mid range salary that should be a good spring board for the rest of your life (let me just interject here that I don't know Spree personally and don't know what kind of responsibilities/obligations he has so who knows if his circumstance derives from poor decision making or lack of resources).
But with all the distractions for younger players today from associates who don't have your best interests at heart, to guys who just cannot turn down the increased attention from the opposite sex and are real fertile, to a fascination with the materialism and 'bling bling' subculture created by corporate American capitalism pimped to the masses thru commercialized 'rap'; It's starting to be less and less surprising to hear about stories like this.
That is a shame.
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