NBA
2024 NBA Cup Prize Money Gives Bucks’ Two-Way Players 45% Raise
Vivek Jacob is a freelance sports writer with over seven years experience. During this time, he has written for outlets including The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Sportsnet, CBC, and Complex. Primarily covering the NBA, Vivek also covers tennis, soccer, and cricket.
All posts by Vivek JacobUpdated5 hours ago on December 18, 2024
A little over $500,000 isn’t going to make much of a difference in the pockets of Giannis Antetokounmpo or Damian Lillard. The newly minted NBA Cup MVP has earned nearly $300M over the course of his career while Lillard is ahead of Antetokounmpo and closer to $350M.
Entering the NBA Cup final, both players spoke of the motivation they had to help their lower earning teammates and staff earn what would be a very healthy bonus in their eyes.
In particular, Liam Robbins, Ryan Rollins, and Stanley Umude are all earning $578,577 on two-way contracts with Milwaukee this season while also representing the G League’s Wisconsin Herd, and will now receive $257,485 in winnings for the NBA Cup.
None of these additional earnings will count against the salary cap.
Robbins has played just under 20 minutes for the Bucks as an undrafted rookie, Rollins has played about 78 NBA minutes this season, and Umude hasn’t played for the Bucks at all but has started three games for the Herd. That’s certainly not a bad outcome.
Antetokounmpo, speaking to the media after the game, revealed how he promised Robbins that the team would do everything they could to win the tournament and help Robbins buy a house in his native Iowa.
“My teammates got life changing money. We had this joke within the team with our two-way guy Liam, I promised him from the first Cup game, I said, ‘We’re gonna go all the way and get you a house in Iowa,'” Antetokounmpo recalled. “After every game, I was like, ‘One stop closer to your house in Iowa!'”
Giannis Antetokounmpo talks about how he promised #Bucks rookie Liam Robbins that Milwaukee would try to win the #EmiratesNBACup so Liam can buy a house in Iowa @FanDuel pic.twitter.com/UBZcHRoESQ
— Rob Lopez (@r0bato) December 18, 2024
Antetokounmpo comes from humble beginnings as a Nigerian refugee trying to survive in Greece and so understands just how much this money could do for the players who most need it. He added to his big game legacy with 26 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals, and three blocks to lead the Bucks to the cup win all while delivering on his promise.
