xoSelf (short for Love Yourself)) is a weekly advice series where women can anonymously seek advice on topics about relationships, work, finding themselves or life challenges. xoSelf is responded to by educator & life coach Dr. Walter Hidalgo.
Dear xoSelf:
I am raising a future NBA star! I don’t want this life for him. I much rather he does something in Corporate America, but he loves sports. I want him to at least pursue other avenues as a fall back, but he doesn’t want to listen to me. I’ve expressed many times that I would rather he own the team than play for the team. He would rather play only and retire with millions. How can I get him to understand in this world today, you need a plan B?
Answer:
That’s great that he is ambitious. But you are correct. Even the elite basketball players understand that the game is only for so long and as a result they need to invest in other endeavors such as real estate, businesses, etc. As a former athlete myself, your son needs to understand that even if he makes it to the league, the average basketball player’s career is anywhere between 4- 8 years. If he goes to the league right out of college (hypothetically speaking) and plays for those full 8 years. He will retire at around age 30! Then what? This is where many athletes run into a brick wall. Ergo, plan B. This is not to mention the possibility of injuries and faulty contracts, etc. After all, the NBA is itself a business so you should come into it as a businessman, not just a player.
Related article: xoSelf: My Wife is Overly Jealous of my Sports Career
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Dr. Walter Hidalgo is an educator and coach. He has a master’s of arts in Church History and Sociology from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University and a doctorate from New York Theological Seminary where his focus was on the intersectionality between Hip-hop culture and socio-spiritual movements. He has taught in universities, high schools, prisons, not-for-profit organizations, and faith-based institutions from all over the world. And finally, he is the author of the critically acclaimed book, “Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-hop” where he has worked with numerous Hip-hop artists, educators, and youth from all over the world to create spaces of fun and empowerment.