Nowadays, NBA players are signing contracts that cannot be conceptualized by the common working person.
Utah Jazz swingman Joe Ingles had a career-best season in 2016-17 and was rewarded this summer with a four-year, $52 million contract. Instead of unveiling ideas on how he'll flaunt his new deal, Ingles has a different plan — to give back.
As a husband and new father, Ingles recognizes that most families aren't lucky enough to have such financial stability. So he wants to use the money to help Utah families in need.
“I mean, we don’t need that much money," Ingles told Matt Logue of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. "Nobody in the world needs that much money. So we’ll spend a lot of time helping out kids and families that need the help."
Ingles struggled to find his way on an NBA roster after being cut by the Los Angeles Clippers at age 27. The Jazz, though, believed they could benefit from his shooting and signed him to a $1 million deal during the 2014-15 season, making him one of the lowest paid players in the league. After that, Ingles agreed to a two-year, $4.5 million deal — still a bargain in the NBA world.
Last year, Ingles had a breakthrough season, averaging 7.1 points and cracking the top five in 3-point percentage by making 44.1 percent of his shots from deep. Ingles, 29, then became the most lucrative free-agent signing Utah made this offseason.
Despite the newfound security and massive payday, Ingles doesn't anticipate losing his personality.
"I mean, I’m not going to change I am who I am," Ingles said. "I’m about to turn 30 now, and I’ve been like that my whole life. People looking from the outside might think that things will change because I’ll have access to a lot more money, but it won’t happen."
Ingles says he plans to begin helping families in Utah in a few months, then will "do some things" in Australia.
According to the Current Population Survey, Utah has the 12th-lowest poverty rate in the United States at 11.3 percent, which is 3 percent less than the national poverty rate.