Who didn't grow up pretending to hit that game-winning shot in their backyard? Dreaming of being a sports star is as American as apple pie, but for some athletes, becoming one can turn into a real-life nightmare. According to Sports Illustrated, "by the time they have been retired for two years, 78 percent of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce." And, no, it isn't just the NFL, folks. "Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60 percent of former NBA players are broke." Those are some pretty stark numbers, considering most of these jock athletes earns tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars during their careers. Let's take a look at just a few of these broke ballers, and see what happens when the cheers fade and the bank accounts dry up.
Who didn't grow up pretending to hit that game-winning shot in their backyard? Dreaming of being a sports star is as American as apple pie, but for some athletes, becoming one can turn into a real-life nightmare. According to Sports Illustrated, "by the time they have been retired for two years, 78 percent of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce." And, no, it isn't just the NFL, folks. "Within five years of retirement, an estimated