As this year’s NBA rookie class begin to make their mark in the Summer League, the league offers plenty of cautionary tales after fast starts.
With first overall pick Cooper Flagg not in action until later this week, third overall selection VJ Edgecombe flashed on his Philadelphia 76ers debut on Saturday night.
Jennings was drafted 10th overall in 2009 – the same draft as Curry and HardenGettyWhile the league waits on Flagg’s showdown with Los Angeles Lakers sophomore Bronny James, all eyes will also be on Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and Kon Knueppel who were selected with a top five pick in Brooklyn.
Back in 2009, Brandon Jennings made his NBA debut but after nine season in the league – he ended up in Europe
Jennings famously broke the 50-point barrier faster than any player in NBA history.
Having begun his career by making history, the flashy point guard went on to suit up for the Bucks (twice), Pistons, Magic, Knicks, and Wizards, and last played for Russian pro team Zenit St Petersburg in 2018.
He scored 55 in just his seventh pro game on November 14, 2009 against the Golden State Warriors.
Jennings was 20 years and 52 days at the time, edging out LeBron James, Devin Booker and Victor Wembanyama in NBA history.
Wemby dropped 50 for the first time in his career back in November last 2024 and the French phenom will be back in action after deep vein thrombosis ended his second season early
Jennings, who is now 35-years-old, made $40million in career earnings during his time in the NBA, but recently revealed he quit basketball because of family and friends repeatedly asking him for money.
Jennings appeared on the Above The Rim with DH 12 podcast where he reflected on his relationship with friends and family and how NBA money affected his life.
Sharpe and Ocho agreed that dealing with money and family is difficultYouTube@NightcapShow_“I had to walk away from the game too because of family and friends… it got too much about money,” he said.
He explained basketball was his escape and therapy, but once it became a job he noticed people around him using him as a cash machine.
“It kind of gets depressing,” he said.
“No matter who you are, you don’t want to be looked at as a cash cow,” he went on, before adding that his tip to avoid such a situation is to stay spiritual.
“Keep the right people around you,” he added.
Former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe and ex-Bengals wide receiver Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson recently spoke about Jennings’ comments on their ‘Nightcap’ podcast.
Both men, who have made millions during their playing and post playing days, empathized with Jennings, saying that extreme wealth can lead to issues with loved ones.
“They’ll drain you,” Johnson said.
“Family will drain you. They know no limits and will not stop and all you’re doing is enabling them. The more you give, the more you have to keep giving to your friends and these entourages.
“I understand,” Johnson went on. “If they grew up with you, you always want to keep it real. But one of the easiest ways [to lose money] is to have the wrong people around you.
“You don’t want to tell people no. But you’re going to look up five or six years from now and wonder, ‘where the hell did all my money go?'”
“That s*** goes fast if you have no financial discipline. [Family] will never understand.”
Sharpe agreed, admitting it’s a slippery slope when it comes to family and money.
Jennings has learned a lot since his young NBA daysGetty“You can’t manage your income. And somehow you want me to supplement yours?”
“They gonna keep on taking, it will never stop,” Johnson replied.
“They forget the 1,000 yeses, they only remember the one no,” Sharpe added.
As for Jennings, he’s previously admitted he should have bought something for himself with his first NBA paycheck instead of buying a house for his mother.
Appearing on the Gil’s Arena podcast, Jennings, who has a reported net worth of $16 million, reiterated his love for his mother but said young players should make themselves financially stable before helping everyone else.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t love my mom or I don’t appreciate her. I think we get caught up in like, ‘When we get our first paycheck, we gotta give it to my family.’ But it’s like woah, you can get hurt next year, and then I made people comfortable early.”
Jennings was drafted tenth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft — the same draft class at Steph Curry and James Harden — but never truly lived up to his potential.
Jennings struggled after tearing his Achilles in 2009 but still averaged 15.5 points per game over his nine non-consecutive seasons in The Association.
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