NBA Star Thompson's 2015 $82 Million Contract Unpaid in Bitcoin, Missing Out on Potential $31.75 Billion Gain

According to Cointelegraph, NBA Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson recently revealed that his $82 million contract signed in 2015 would be worth $31.75 billion if paid in Bitcoin at current prices. On the signing day in October 2015, the price of Bitcoin was $270. Thompson admitted that although friends had suggested buying Bitcoin at the time, he did not take action due to concerns about volatility.

Thompson is currently deeply involved in the crypto space, serving as a brand ambassador for the crypto betting platform Sportsbet.io and hosting the basketball data analysis project TraceyAI. He revealed that he is actively promoting Bitcoin to NBA players but is clearly against issuing celebrity meme coins: "Tokens for quick profit are like a looming cloud; athletes should support the ecosystem rather than exploit it."

Industry data shows that if Thompson had sold Bitcoin nine months after signing, its value would have doubled to $175 million. Despite missing the opportunity, Thompson stated that his current basketball career and crypto income are sufficient, and he is now more focused on the long-term value of blockchain technology. According to on-chain records, American athletes like Odell Beckham Jr. and Klay Thompson have chosen to receive part of their salaries in Bitcoin.