Tyler Hansbrough Signs First and Last NBA Contract
Indianapolis, IN – What started out as an ordinary day soon proved to be momentous for Indiana Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough. The new draft pick agreed to terms with the Indiana Pacers and signed his first and last NBA contract. The deal, a four year contract with a team option on the third and fourth years, will pay Hansbrough $1.5 million next season and $1.7 million in his second season.
Fewer, if any, players have a better college pedigree than Hansbrough. The 6’9’’ forward from the University of North Carolina was a first team All-American for four straight years and is the all-time leading scorer in ACC history with 2,872 points. However, questions about his size, athletic ability, and his color have made many in the basketball world skeptical about his transition into the pro game.
Hansbrough has heard the skeptics, and frankly, he agrees a little bit. “I’ve got to be honest here. I feel a little guilty even signing this as I’m pretty much just stealing money from [team owners] Melvin and Herbert. Don’t get me wrong, I love [team President] Larry Bird and I respect his vast amount of basketball knowledge, but even I thought I was a reach at #13.”
Bird, however, disagrees with Hansbrough, saying, “I think he’s going to be a good one. They have picked on Tyler for four years, but all he’s ever done is won. We’re expecting him to become a cornerstone of this franchise for years to come.”
Upon hearing the kind words being showered upon him from Bird, Hansbrough told reporters, “I don’t know if I see myself as a cornerstone. Obviously they put the team option years in my contract as a nice gesture, which I appreciate, but neither of us expects those to be picked up. My plan is to play these two years and fulfill my contract, then bounce around Europe or Australia for a while. I figure with a few wise investments, I’ll have a few mill in the bank, and I can focus on being the richest guy on my team.”
What the future holds for Hansbrough is uncertain, however, he may find it encouraging to know that Eric Montross, a very comparable Tar Heel, was able to successfully bounce around the league for almost ten seasons before he retired.
17 and 23 in his first two summer league games..keep hatin’..it just makes him want it more!
I hear you. It’s all in good fun. I’m a huge t-wolves fan and heard all the same stuff with Kevin Love last year. Thanks for the read.
I’m guessing this “article” was printed before the summer league games…
As a life long Tar Heel fan, I must say you are a joke. It must kill you to see a white guy be so successful in what is predominately a black sport. Tyler has been nothing but successful on every level of basketball and yet the critics won’t give the guy a break in any way. It’s okay to be skeptical about anyone and by no means am I saying you have to anoint him to greatness but before you keep spouting your crap as fact, give the guy a chance and allow him to at least one NBA game.
Get off this guys jock because I doubt with all your criticism you could even compete at the local gym and therefore aren’t even qualified to criticize elementary kids much less so one of Tyler’s stature.
Hansblo still sucks and this proves it.
I wouldn’t even put him on my all-white American team, which would consist of Hinrich, Blake, Lee, Murphy and Love. Now that I think about it, wouldn’t it be sweet if Indiana was only allowed to have white Americans and they automatically got them all…no draft, they just get them. What a team that would be…may have a bit of trouble double-teaming Lebron, but man would they stroke the 3!
Humor. It is a difficult concept.
This is a nice, satirical little thing you’ve written. It’s got to really suck for you that Hansbrough made this article look moronic after his excellent play down the stretch this season. Go Pacers!