Spencer Haywood, a retired American professional basketball player, had a successful career in both the NBA and the ABA, earning a net worth of $3 million. In this article, we’ll explore his life, career, and net worth in detail.
Early Life
Born on April 22, 1949, in Silver City, Mississippi, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, in his early teens, where he attended Pershing High School. There, he became a key player on the school’s basketball team, leading them to the state championship.
Collegiate Career
In 1967, Haywood enrolled at Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado, where he played on the basketball team. During the 1967-68 season, he averaged 28.2 points and 22.1 rebounds per game. The following year, he transferred to the University of Detroit and led the NCAA in rebounding with an average of 21.5 per game while also averaging 32.1 points per game.
1968 Summer Olympics
While still in college, Haywood played for the US men’s national basketball team in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where he won a gold medal and became the tournament’s leading scorer with an average of 16.1 points per game.
ABA Career
Despite being an underclassman in college, Haywood chose to leave early to join the American Basketball Association’s Denver Rockets. In his rookie season in 1969-70, he had an average of 30 points and 19.5 rebounds per game and helped the team win the ABA’s Western Division title. He set several ABA single-season records and won the ABA Rookie of the Year and ABA MVP awards.
NBA Career
In 1970, Haywood joined the Seattle SuperSonics and played for the team for five seasons. During this time, he was named to the All-NBA First Team twice and the All-NBA Second Team twice. He set a new single-season franchise record for average points per game with 29.2 in the 1972-73 season and a new single-season franchise record for rebounds with an average of 13.4 per game the following season. He played in four NBA All-Star Games during his time with Seattle.
After his tenure with the SuperSonics, Haywood played for the New York Knicks, New Orleans Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Bullets. He won an NBA championship in 1980 and was a four-time NBA All-Star.
Net Worth
Spencer Haywood’s net worth is estimated to be $3 million. At the peak of his career, he earned around $350,000 per season, which is equivalent to around $1.5 million today.
Nike Deal
Early in his career, Haywood was offered a choice by Nike between $100,000 or a 10% equity stake in the company. Unfortunately, he chose the cash, and if he had taken the equity offer, his net worth today would be significantly more than $10 billion (including dividends).
Personal Life
Haywood was married to supermodel Iman from 1977 to 1987, and they had a daughter together. He later married Linda in 1990, and they have three daughters.
Conclusion
Spencer Haywood is a legend in the world of basketball, with numerous accolades and accomplishments. Despite a net worth of $3 million, he could have been even wealthier had he made different decisions throughout his life. Regardless, his impact on the sport will be felt for years to come.
