As someone who could hardly get the attention of an NBA team just a few years ago, Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside is not taking the $98 million contract he just signed for granted. In fact, the first major purchase he is planning isn’t even for himself.
Whiteside, who celebrated signing his max contract by going to the zoo and sharing the experience on Snapchat, is planning to buy a house for his mom.
Hassan Whiteside says he didn't really celebrate his $98M contract other than going to the zoo. Says he's planning to buy his mom a house.
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) July 14, 2016
As described in this great feature from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Debbie Whiteside worked four jobs to raise Hassan and his six brothers and a single mom. She recalled a 5-foot-10 Hassan (he’s 7 feet now) being told in high school that he simply wasn’t tall enough to play center.
“He didn’t make his high-school team when he was 15 (as a sophomore),” Debbie said. “I went in to see the coach about it, and he said there was only one position open, a center, and Hassan wasn’t tall enough to play center.
“He told me, ‘You can’t buy height, Ms. Whiteside.’ See, Hassan was my height at that time in his life (5-foot-11). I had to go home and tell him it wasn’t anything he did or could do. But that really hurt him, not making that team.”
Athletes buying gifts for their moms never gets old. We can’t think of a better way to start spending $98 million.
