How PJ Washington Spent His First $1M in the NBA

Charlotte Hornets rookie PJ Washington was off to a productive start before the NBA season was suspended suddenly.

His move from amateur college athlete to professional NBA player meant that PJ started making some serious money.

From $60K for his apartment rent to $384K on a Porsche and other cars, find out everything he spent his first million dollars on.

[lighthearted hip-hop music]- Hey everybody,this is P.J.

Washington.I'm at home, in quarantine,practicing social distancing,and I hope you guys are doing the same.This is how I spent and savedmy first million dollars.Before we get started I justwanted to give a big shout-outto all the healthcare workers.We really appreciatewhat you guys are doingfor everybody in the communities.It's a hard time forour country financially,but I just wanted to take thetime to share with you guyshow hard work has gottenme where I am today.And I first started playing basketballwhen I was like five years old.I can remember shootingon Little Tikes rimsand then going to the YMCAand playing in the leagueswhere you had to wear the same wristbandas the person you were guarding.In like fourth gradeI had a feeling that I wasbetter than everybody else'cause we're at this AAU tournamentand I had like 40 points.At that moment I was just like,if I take this seriousI feel like I can get somewhere with this.In high school I did havean allowance from my dad.When I had triple-double in a gamemy dad would give me $100,so [laughing] I would be in the gamecounting out all my statsevery time I got something.[laughing]- [Interviewer] Andhow many triple-doublesdid you have in high school?- I think it was like, five.I decided to go to Kentuckybecause I felt like it was the best pathfor me to get to the NBA,with John Calipari and whathe does with his players.My biggest spendings as a college studentwas definitely shoes.Any Nikes that came outI was trying to get 'emand Jordans as well.Also video games.Pretty much I was a game head, I still am,so those are my two biggestthing that I would buy.[heavy hip-hop music]Being drafted was kinda hard to describe'cause in the green roomwhoever's getting picked nextthey put all the camerasin front of your faceso you kinda know whenyou're getting picked.When they accepted me with the 12th pickI was looking down and then I looked upand then all the cameras were in my faceso I kinda smiled a little bit.I couldn't say anything,so I was just excited tohave my family there with meand my agent and my coach,Calipari as well.[camera lens clicking]- [Interviewer] I think you and Tylerwere in the same draft, right?- Yeah.I think we were just really excitedjust to be in the green room together.For me to go 12 and him to go 13,I think that was reallybig for both of us.I mean that night we just couldn't reallythink about anything else.My contract is four years, 17.8 million.Once I heard the number ithonestly didn't feel real.You don't get any money 'til like Novemberso you don't see any checks or anything.I mean at the time I didn't have any moneyso it didn't feel like I had money.It's extremely importantto save your moneyand it's really important tohave someone that helps youthrough the process.I found my financial advisor with my dad.Me and my dad would go aroundand interview a bunch of people.The plans we had discussedwith my financial advisor,20% of everything goesinto a spending accountand 80% of everything goesinto a savings account.Growing up I've always wantedto open my own car dealership'cause my dad used to work at a CarMaxwhen I was really young.He used to come home with different carspretty much everyday.So that's one of my plans,in the future I definitelywanna own a car dealership.Okay, we talked about how I saved moneyand this is how I've spent my money.[bouncy hip-hop music]First thing I ever got was two apartments,one for me and then one for my family.Both apartments are in Charlotteand actually they're like 10doors apart from each other.I got apartments in the same buildingbecause we're a close family,so I felt it was easier forus to spend time togetheronce they come to town.Whenever my sister comes down from schoolshe'll stay with them.I have a extra room in hereso my little brother stays with me.I really wanna buy a housebut I'm saving thatpurchase for the future.Just trying to think smartand save my money thebest way as possible.Two apartments,one for me and one for myfamily for the year, 60K.[stack thuds][register dings][camera lens clicking][electricity warbles][playful hip-hop music]My next big purchase,my Porsche Panamera.Because after my freshman yeartwo of my teammates had cameback and they were driving 'em,so I was like, yeah,this is the car I wanted.So once I got all my moneythat's what I purchased.I bought the car out ofLouisville, Kentucky.I went with my dad,obviously because hewas in the car business,and my dad does a good job of negotiatingso he definitely [laughing],he got the price down for me.The Porsche was 140,000.The interior is red.I pretty much have all thewindows tinted as well.Porsche upgrades, 2,300.- [Interviewer] Did youalways want a black caror did you see that one and you were like,that's the one?- I mean I just felt like it was simple.I mean it doesn't really get too dirty,so that's why I wanted it.[laughing]I have another car.Actually I have two other cars.I have a Range Roverand I also have a Tesla.I bought the Range Roverbecause the Porsche,I didn't feel like, like I'm a big guy,so the Range Rover justkinda fit better for me.And then I also got a Teslabecause my brother needs a carand pretty much I didn'twant him driving all my stuffso I just let him use that all the time.Range Rover, 130K.Tesla, 112K.[register dings][enchanted hip-hop music]Before I got in the leagueI was kind of into fashionbut now that I'm in the leagueI'm a lot more into it than I was.I got a couple custom suits from,I think the company's called Eleveeand it's out of Los Angeles.The favorite thing I boughtwas probably my draft suit.It was dark blue and blackand it had really cool designs on it.It was dope.Top three fashions on the team?Definitely Dwayne Bacon, Terry Rozier,and probably Miles Bridges.I'm a close fourth though.One of my teammates, Dwayne Bacon,has his own line, it's called Bad Section.Everybody's really intoit over here in Charlotte.My favorite shopping stores?Barney's, Saks Fifth, Neiman Marcus,those are pretty muchthe three I use the most.- [Interviewer] Whatwas your favorite storebefore you were drafted?- Probably Foot Locker [laughing],House of Hoops.Clothing, I spent about 80K.♪ Go on the beat ♪[upbeat hip-hop music]I've always wanted jewelrybut I just never wanted too much,I just wanted a couple of chainsand maybe one or two watches.I don't have any watchesbut I have a chain and some earrings.- [Interviewer] And where did you buyyour chain and your earring?- Jason of Beverly Hills.First I got a pendant.It's kind of an emoji but it says my name.That was like 15,000.And then once I got thependant I wanted a Cuban.It's just like,it's a Chinese emoji.It means acceptable but itsays P.J.

In pare pears.I just use it all the time on my Instagramand then I just got a chain for it.And after that I just got some earringsto go with it.♪ Go on me ♪- [Interviewer] Are those theones you have on right now?- Yeah.[laughing]All togetherit was about 45,000.[stack thuds][register dings]♪ Go on the beat ♪[melancholy hip-hop music]I got my first tattooonce I got to college.It was a verse on my chest.It was a tattoo artist in Kentucky.I think his name is Mikey.Yeah.Once I got to the NBAI wanted to get more,so I spent eight K on my sleeve.Tattoos, 8,000.[stack thuds]I have an all-seeing eye looking oversome doves, some crosses,and then on the rest ofthe sleeve I have like,it's like a gambling section.And then it basically says bet on me.I just kinda tied it into each other.The artist is actually from Delawareand his name is Mark Johnson.His Instagram is @JeezyTattoos.Dope guy, pretty much probablyone of the best tattoo artists out there.- [Interviewer] Who has thebest tattoos on the teamand who has the worsttattoos do you think?- Honestly I think weall have good tattoosbut I think everybody has some tattoosthat they probably wish they never got.I think we're all in both categories,so [laughing].- [Interviewer] Do you haveplans for future tattoos?- Tattoos hurt,so [laughing] I just gotta think about it.[soulful hip-hop music]I wanna give a special shout-outto my best purchase yet,my dog, his name is Zeus.He's an XL bully.I think he's 11 months right now.He's about 125 pounds.He's just lovable, he doesn't bite,he just wants to play all day,and whenever I'm playing my video gameshe's always trying toget in the way of that,so he just definitely wantsattention all the time.We had dogs growing up.I had a Shih Tzu mixed with Chihuahuaand then we got a pitbull.Once I had a USA thing,so I went overseas and when I came back,and nobody had told me,but my mom had game him away.I was kinda bummered about that oneso once I got to the NBA thatwas something I wanted to get.Zeus was 5,000.[romantic hip-hop music]And the last big purchaseof the year for meis a personal chef.All the vets adviseyoung guys to get a chef,just to eat right.You have to keep yourbody in tip-top shapeand eating right is one ofthe biggest things you need.He cooks lunch and dinner.Usually for breakfast I'malways at the facility eatingso I didn't want him to cook breakfast.His name is T.K.and one of family friendsfrom Dallas actually knows himso it was just a good fit for us.I mean his food's good,he's a good guy to be around, funny,and he can keep up with my family as well.The best meal that he cooks?I like his spaghetti and meatballs.Best I ever had.I don't even like spaghetti and meatballs,so once he made 'em andI ate it I was like,it's pretty good, so [laughing].For the year, for mypersonal chef, I paid 40,000.Actually I have a wholelittle gaming centerin one of my rooms.I just bought it like a couple weeks ago.I got a gaming chair, a gaming table,and then like a monitor.Favorite games to play right noware definitely Call of Duty and 2K.- [Interviewer] Are youplaying a lot in quarantine?- I mean there's nothing else to do,so whenever I'm waking upI'm going straight to the video game.Video games sell at 500 bucks.So far I've spent 622,300.The rest of my first millionwent to saving and investments.I didn't know I spent that muchbut I don't have any regrets.I feel like all of mypurchases were good purchasesand so I'm pretty good with what I got.My advice for the next draftees,just to make sure yousave as much as possible.Get what you want butat the end of the dayjust make sure you're saving.I'm an athlete so obviously I have a jobthat's hard on my bodyand I have to make surethat I'm set up for the future.Thanks everybody for watching.Hope you guys are social distancingand being as safe as possible,washing your hands, wearing masks.I hope to see you guys on thecourt as soon as possible.