VII. Too young
Similar to Jahlil Okafor, Markelle Fultz arrives to the NBA at the ripe old age of 19. That is a very young age to deal with the finances of millions of dollars of annual earnings. New city, new job, new lifestyle. And all the while, instant celebrity.
It’s a lot to process. At 19 years of age, there is not much wisdom or experience to use to decypher it all either. So Markelle Fultz will rely upon trusted friends and loved ones.
Mature 19 year-old
Now, don’t get me wrong. He is a very mature 19 year-old. In fact, in many interviews, he sounds as though he is a senior graduating from college. He has a patient humility that is incredibly rare for a young top national athlete.
Still, until now he was running on a limited budget. Money changes everything. With big paychecks comes big expectations. New car, new clothes, caring for family. Expenses pile up quickly. After a while, money management can be as distracting as all other new aspects of his basketball career combined. Hopefully, he remains grounded when the real money starts coming in.