I have written in the past about frugal athletes such as Alfred Morris, but none have been as elite as Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs. He just repeated as the Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA. Back in 2014, he successfully shut down Lebron James and was named MVP of the Finals. He is directly responsible for San Antonio’s title that season. He earned a $94 million contract in the summer of 2015 because of his stellar play. Most athletes would buy a bunch of cars or houses, but not him. Kawhi Leonard is the best financial defender perhaps in all of sports.
His Frugal Living Habits
Despite his mega contract, Leonard apparently prefers to drive a 1997 Chevy Tahoe. There are rumors that he owns a nicer new car, but if they are true you would not know it. He is rarely seen out in public except driving his self described “old gas guzzler.” The value of a ’97 Tahoe is barely over $1,000, but that does not deter Kawhi. He got the car fixed up to drive as well.
Back when he was only 21, he lived in San Antonio in the same house as his mom. Very few professional athletes would give up the limelight and partying lifestyle like he did. There are plenty of pros who want to buy their mom a house, but Kawhi bought one so he could stay with her. He tragically lost his father in 2008, so perhaps this is also to have emotional support.
His Guilty Pleasure is Bought With Coupons
Kawhi apparently buys loads of Mango Habanero chicken wings from Wingstop, a popular fast food restaurant chain in San Antonio. He uses coupons so he can get great deals. When he accidentally misplaced his supply and the corporate office at Wingstop found out about it, they made sure to get him a fresh stake and thank him for the enormous free publicity.
Other athletes when they were in the NBA went to strip clubs and threw wads of Benjamins into the air, like Allen Iverson. Still others had a gambling problem, like Michael Jordan. Seemingly, Kawhi’s biggest indulgence costs $9.99 and he routinely brings his booklet to get another $2 off.
Kawhi Leonard is the Best Financial Defender, and Here’s How to Learn From Him
A big reason he drives the ’97 Tahoe is because it is “paid off,” according to Leonard. If you are going to buy a car, pay cash. If you cannot afford to debit your bank account to get a new set of wheels, you are probably paying too much for your car. If possible, take your time and save over several paychecks to build up a car fund to go towards your new vehicle. My parents have always paid cash for their cars, and it has helped them avoid financial troubles when times were tough. A car note has to be paid each month no matter what. A paid off car only needs a check sent to the insurance company, gas, and repairs every now and then. There is nothing wrong with buying an older vehicle like Kawhi. I would not recommend the ’97 Tahoe because it is not as reliable as other models and does not get good gas mileage. Try out an older Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, or Honda instead.
Do not feel bad about using coupons. They are a tool businesses use to price discriminate to maximize profits. Movie theaters charge different prices for different customers because they can max the probability of these different groups of people going to the movies. Seniors and military might not go as often if asked to pay the full $9 evening price, while young adults going on a date will go no matter what. When you see a coupon for a good or service you regularly use, take advantage of it. Do not get coupons confused with groupons. Internet discounting companies mark up the price for experiences or consumer goods to discount them and get you to buy things you never would otherwise. Do not fall for these marketing gimmicks.
Finally, be careful how you spend a new windfall, whether from family, a new job, or the lottery. I recently overheard some new doctors talking about what would be their first big purchase once they started getting big paychecks as full fledged surgeons. A better question is what will be your first student loan you pay down to enable you to gain financial freedom? Kawhi won a $94 million contract, yet he limits his spending to relatively minor amounts. Keeping his outflow of cash under control is easy for him because he is a natural defender. In fact, Kawhi Leonard is the best financial defender, and real defender, in the NBA. We should all learn from his example.
If you have another example of a frugal athlete that rivals Kawhi, whether in stature or how conservative he or she is with money, comment below!
I really like Leonard because he takes the game of basketball seriously without all of the flash and worry about air time. To me, he’s a solid if not more better role model than Lebron James. I’m not trying to bash James at all. He’s a good role model as well on and off the court, but I just like Leonard’s persona more. Overall, I just favor his personality and how he goes about things.
I hope to see him and the Spurs in this year’s Finals!
He really flies under the radar. Awesome to see an elite player like Leonard that still is incredibly humble.
You’re wrong when it comes to Groupons, at least in some cases. When we eat at restaurants using a $50 Groupon that cost us $25, it’s the same prices and experience we always have had at these restaurants, we just save a LOT of money, way more than the 2 or 3 bucks you save with any normal coupon. There may be some deals not worth it, but the same can be said for many coupons. Restaurants.com has deals similar to Groupons but are often even better, and there’s no service premium.