NBA Star DeShawn Stevenson Went Broke After Installing an ATM in His House
The NBA is full of memorable athletes like Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal. Another personality many basketball fans still remember for his 13-year NBA career, famous feuds, and statement tattoos is DeShawn Stevenson.
A couple of years after Stevenson’s retirement, the 6-foot-5 retired athlete still made headlines for a loss, not a win, involving his at-home ATM machine.
DeShawn Stevenson installs an ATM in his house
Stevenson entered the NBA straight after high school and enjoyed a 13-year career. He played for six teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he won the 2011 NBA Championship. Over his career, Stevenson amassed nearly $28 million, according to Spotrac.
One particularly extravagant purchase involved a $3,500 ATM he placed in his kitchen. TMZ said the ATM held $20,000 and had a $4.50 transaction fee. Stevenson claimed friends primarily used it before they went out to clubs.
Why did Stevenson feel the need for an ATM? He explained that reality TV personality and former professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek inspired him to buy it. Stevenson saw Dyrdek give a house tour on TV and loved the idea.
Stevenson defaults on his American Express credit card
Stevenson was known for throwing extravagant parties for friends and teammates, including a 2010 party where he hired a personal chef and tattoo artist. Perhaps these sorts of expensive purchases led Stevenson to run into financial trouble.
In 2016, Bossip reported that Stevenson defaulted on his Black American Express card, which he’d previously flaunted on social media. American Express was allegedly forced to sue Stevenson for the money he owed. Stevenson ignored the lawsuit. As such, a Florida Orange County Circuit Court judge reportedly granted American Express a $384,000 judgment. Stevenson again ignored the debt, and American Express returned to court in 2016 to try to garnish the money owed.
The judge awarded American Express the right to garnish wages from Stevenson’s Bank of America account, but they allegedly discovered the balance was a meager $62.09. This was not an ideal situation for a man with a five-dollar bill tattooed on his neck.
Where is DeShawn Stevenson now?
It might be surprising that someone who made over $27 million went broke, but Sports Illustrated reports that 60% of former NBA players are broke after six years of retirement.
Stevenson blames his financial losses on extravagant parties, vacations, and other luxuries. He also shared that becoming a millionaire before 20 made him an easy target for friends and relatives who often asked him for help or investments.
These days, Stevenson is living a much more grounded life. Bleacher Report caught up with him in his new home of Orlando to find out how NBA retirement is treating him. He’s opened a basketball-themed barbershop named Playoffs Barber Shop. Although he dreams of franchising his shop, he also enjoys a simple life.
Notably, Stevenson put his 2001 NBA Championship ring up for auction on June 3, 2023. The final bid was $73,253. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he has a net worth of about $10 million.
