Alvan Adams might not be a household name, but he was the original proof that white men can jump. Just look at the hangtime and the determination to throw down this dunk on his unexpecting opposition. While Kansas isn't particularly known for pumping out NBA prospects, Adams is definitely deserving to represent his home state. Matter of fact, the Lawerance, Kansas-bred power forward tied the University of Oklahoma's school record for double-doubles during the 1973-74 NCAA Basketball season. He's also one of three Sooners score 40 points and snag 20 rebounds in a game.
With feats like those under his belt, he was drafted fourth overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1975 NBA Draft. The tall and slender Adams spent his entire thirteen-year NBA career with the Suns where he would earn the honors of NBA Rookie of the Year and an NBA All-Star roster spot in 1976. From here on out, let's not sleep on our white historical NBA alumni brethren. They got game too.
Not all celebrities have fame and fortune, some are just famous – and in a ton of debt. They came from rags to riches, then went back to rags. Whether they’ve filed bankruptcy, ended up in court, or just can’t stop spending, celebrities mismanage their money just like everyone else. They just hide it well.
50 Cent coined the term “wanksta,” then “partied like it was his birthday” until he filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The rapper was said to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million in debt. In 2016, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Connecticut approved a plan for the founder of G-Unit to pay his debts back. He was able to get his bankruptcy discharged in February of the following year.
Following a 45-year-long career in Hollywood, acting in more than 70 films, actor Gary Busey found himself in more debt than he was worth. In 2012, it was reported that Busey owed between $500,000 and $1 million worth of debt, but only had $50,000 to his name. The 74-year-old actor owed money to hospitals, banks, the L.A. Waterworks District, and even a storage company. He filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year. Despite his longstanding career in Hollywood, Busey's net worth is now only $500,000.
Burt Reynolds is still worth five million dollars, but his battles with debt date back more than 20 years. Between bad investments and a pricey divorce from actress Loni Anderson, the 1970s superstar had to deal with over $10 million in debt and decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996. While testifying in a 1994 custody hearing, the South Florida native said he spent $40 million getting through his divorce.
The former Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen owes the IRS nearly $5 million. But that's not all. In 2016, his net worth was reportedly still as high as $150 million, but he was nonetheless $12 million in debt at the time – including mortgages, legal fees, and taxes. That same year, Debt.com reported Sheen owed nearly $300,000 on an American Express card alone.