The 25 Smartest Athlete Purchases in Sports History

Cost: $3,500
Year of Purchase: 2011

Delivery guys get mad salty when you tip them on a credit card and ATMs on the street charge, like, a $4 "service fee" so, when you think about it, installing a personal cash machine in your house is actually pretty smart. According to TMZ, DeShawn Stevenson's ATM carries $20,000 in cash and is restocked periodically throughout the year. Before you dismiss this whole thing as another dumb jock trading cash for Instagram followers, understand that Stevenson hits other users with a $4.50 service charge. And you thought Chase was cold.

Cost: estimated $400
Year of Purchase: 2012

Anyone who's played outfield at the high school level and above knows what it's like to be heckled. Fans scream at you with impunity and no one's within 100 feet to protect you. It's lonely out there. Well, Kansas City outfielder Jeff Franceour discovered a creative solution when he passed a cheese soaked olive branch to bleacher bums in Oakland.

After befriending a few hecklers with nods and waves, Franceour was offered a plate full of bacon by A's fans, to which the Royals slugger happily obliged. The next day, Franceour tossed a signed ball adorned with a $100 bill and a note that read "beer or bacon dog on me." Sounds like a pretty cool guy, right? Things got better the next day when, during the series finale, Franceour had pizza delivered to the section. It's amazing how a little stadium food can turn a group of menacing hecklers into a group of best friends. Take notes, Joakim. 

Cost: estimated $72,000
Year of Purchase: 2012

Like many NBA stadiums throughout the country, the 76ers giveaway free McDonald's Big Macs to the entire stadium when Evan Turner and the boys score 100+ points at home. Earlier this season, the Sixers gained possession with just under 24 seconds remaining in the game and holding on to a 99-80 lead against the Hawks. With fans on their feet and two all beef patties on their minds, Doug Collins ordered Evan Turner to unceremoniously dribble out the clock effectively denying a stadium full of hungry fans. Instead of celebrating their team's blowout win, the Philly faithful booed the home team. Then, rather miraculously, fans were told by the stadium announcer that Collins would treat the stadium's 18,000 fans to a burger. Order restored.

Cost: $451,000
Year of Purchase: 1992

Wayne Gretzky teamed up with Bruce McNall to buy a rare Honus Wagner T206 baseball card for $451,000. That might sound ridiculous to your mom who tossed your collection of Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck inserts without reservation when you moved to college, but for Gretzky it was actually a pretty worthwhile investment. Shortly after his purchase, "The Great One" unloaded the wallet-sized portrait for just over half a million dollars. That's right, Gretzky made $50,000 flipping a millimeter thick piece of cardboard. The card was recently purchased by Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick for $2.8M, so it's not all smiles for the legendary hockey player.

Cost: $651,000
Year of Purchase: 1985

John Madden purchased a two bedroom condominium in Manhattan's historical Dakota co-op building in 1985 for basically what it cost Gilbert Arenas to install a grotto in his backyard. After a million dollar stumble in asking price, Madden's still sitting pretty on his investment that's listed at just under four-million dollars. In today's real estate climate, it takes a pretty smart (or lucky) guy to make five times their return on investment.

Cost: estimated $7.12
Year of Purchase: 2012

Giving back to the community is sometimes worth more than a tax right off. In fact, Lou Williams' community involvement may have saved his life. A gunman approached Williams in an attempt to rob the former 76ers point guard, but settled for a greasy burger and fries instead. After recognizing the professional athlete and praising him for his charitable work, Williams was able to gain the criminals favor by treating him to lunch. "The gun was out," Williams said, "...and we came to a solution before I could really say much. I treated him to McDonald's."

Let this be a lesson to everyone. If you're approached by a mugger or caught in a gang crossfire, instead of calling police or surrendering your belongings, just offer to make a Chipotle run. We think that will work out as well for you as it did for Williams.

Cost: Unknown
Year of Purchase: 2001

We're about to give you kids the best advice you'll ever get: do what you know, not what you want. Cal Ripken Jr. could have spent his retirement years bankrupting restaurants, but instead he invested in an amateur baseball empire and things are a lot better off that way. Ripken Baseball, Inc. owns a pair of minor league baseball teams, operates youth baseball academies, and does consulting for baseball field construction.

Cost: $19,521
Year of Purchase: 2012

Typically when athletes Instagram receipts they're for magnums of champagne at a cheesy rooftop bar or for a saltwater shark tank in the spacious trunk of their chauffeured Maybach. But Andre Johnson restored our faith in humanity when, for once, we saw an athlete photograph a bill of sale for something that wasn't offensively self-centered. The Texans wide receiver spent almost $20,000 at Toys "R" Us on Christmas presents for foster kids in Texas' Child Protective Services. Thank you, Based God.

Cost: $9,000,000
Year of Purchase: 2000

David Robinson took the words of many a disingenuous politician to heart and built a charter school to invest in the country's future. The Admiral founded the Carver Academy, a charter school in San Antonio, to correct what he calls "second class opportunities" for inner-city youth. We salute Robinson for trying to save the future of America, because we're in trouble if we have to trust this guy.

Cost: Unknown
Year of Purchase: 1995-Present

When you move to Denver you have to adjust to thinner air, arrant frisbees, and you can't throw a Jack Johnson CD without hitting something that has John Elway's name on it. In 1997, Elway sold his chain of dealerships for $82.5M and recently opened his third upscale Elway's restaurant. Between his area car dealerships, front office position with the Broncos and chain of successful steakhouses, No. 7 has a Kim Jon Un-like stranglehold on The Mile High City.

Cost: Part of a group investing $240M
Year of Purchase: 2011

LeBron James will likely win a second NBA championship this year thanks to teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But LBJ's most powerful team was created when he joined forces with hedge-fund manager John Henry and entertainment magnate Tom Werner. The real "big three" made a deal to give James a minority stake in Liverpool, one of the most powerful sports franchises in the world. According to Forbes, Liverpool now has control over sales of non-branded merchandise, which could mean enormous returns on The Chosen One's investment.

Cost: $20,000
Year of Purchase: 2012

Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz hails from a poor area of the Dominican Republic. So poor, in fact, that it's without basic lifesaving vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances.  Cruz, with help of the Arlington Fire Department, purchased a fire truck at auction and presented his hometown fire chief with the keys along with a pair of donated ambulances. Now when the Rangers outfielder visits home he won't have to worry about his family cat being forever stuck in a tree, and that's pretty smart.

Cost: estimated $75,000
Year of Purchase: 2009

Berlin Hertha Midfielder, Pal Dardai, promised fans that if 55,000 of them showed up to the team's next five games, he'd buy everyone in the stadium a free beer. The Berlin Hertha faithful packed the stadium and on the sixth game Dardai made good on his promise, giving each of the stadium's 75,000 fans a voucher for a free ale or soda. You can give away bobble head dolls and branded tote bags, but nothing puts butts in seats quite like free beer.

Cost: $2,500,000
Year of Purchase: 2010

A "smart purchase" isn't always a lucrative investment or factory warranty, sometimes it's a credit card swipe for humanity. Warrick Dunn's "Homes for the Holidays" program provides down payment assistance for fully furnished homes to single-parent families. In 2010, the former running back handed over the keys to his 100th home. Some athletes use their wealth as a means of Instagram-ing bottle service receipts, but Dunn changes lives. Bravo.

Cost: $80,000
Year of Purchase: 2010

After a Hall of Fame career with the Detorit Pistons, Dave Bing took a $35,000 salary to work for a steel processing company. Shortly thereafter, Bing invested $80,000 to start Bing Steel and less than two years later was managing a pair of plants, 63 employees and millions of dollars in revenue. Today, Bing is mayor of Detroit and chairman of the Bing Group, an automotive supplier that does hundreds of millions of dollars in annual business. The Lox said it best, "Money, Power, Respect."

BREAKING: It should be noted that Bing will not seek reelection as mayor of Detroit. He's made some smart purchases and obviously a good basketball player, but that city needs a miracle. Where's Tim Tebow when you need him? 

Cost: $500,000
Year of Purchase: 2010

Kobe Bryant doesn't have to worry about sitting in traffic on the 405 because he flies over Los Angeles' hellish gridlock in his own helicopter. Working the clutch on a $250,000 Ferrari can be taxing on the knees and a Porsche just doesn't have enough leg room for serious players. Now every time you stare at break lights on a highway, you'll be reminded of how much your life sucks compared to Kobe Bryant. 

Cost: Unknown
Year of Purchase: 2013

As the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, South Carolina's Jedeveon Clowney took out a $5M life insurance policy to protect himself against lost earnings due to injury. After watching Kentucky's Nerlens Noel tear his ACL, Louisville's Kevin Ware shatter his leg, and teammate Marcus Lattimore horrifically shred three ligaments last season, we can hardly blame the young defensive end for insuring his future.

Cost: $20,000,000
Year of Purchase: 1998

During the '90s Penguins' owners Howard Baldwin and Moris Belzberg spent with the restraint of a Saudi oil prince at The Bunny Ranch, turning one of the NHL's signature franchises into Lehman Brothers on ice. With the Pens financial situation becoming increasingly hopeless, the organization filed for bankruptcy in '98 and nearly folded all together. As the team's biggest creditor, Mario Lemieux was owed some $32.5M in deferred salary and came up with the genius idea of converting $20M worth of the money he was owed into equity with the organization. With a controlling interest in the team, Lemieux turned the organization around financially and set the foundation for what is now one of the league's most competitive teams. 

Cost: $15,000,000
Year of Purchase: 1998

In a year during which Dikembe Mutombo made $2.2M as an NBA center, he donated $15M to build a hospital in his native Congo. The 300 bed facility is a godsend for the people of Kinshasa, which is the second largest city in Africa and desperately poor. If you're not rooting for Dikembe, there's something wrong with you.

Cost: Unknown
Year of Purchase: 1989-Present

Junior Bridgeman turned the earnings from his 12-year basketball career into an enormous collection of faux neighborhood chains and fast food restaurants. The Milwuakee Bucks legend controls 162 Wendy's and 121 Chili's restaurants that reportedly bring in over $500M in annual revenue. When you see a table full of high school kids handing a Chili's waitress a stack of 14 debit cards to split up on a $57 bill, you'll know that Junior's getting a little richer. 

Cost: Unknown
Year of Purchase: N/A

Earvin Johnson's really bounced back the Magic Hour. The Lakers legend is on a seemingly focused mission to buy up every available block and building in the Los Angeles area and, so far, it seems to be insanely profitable. Boasting a reported net worth of $500M, Johnson's created a Hollywood kingdom of movie theaters, 24-hour fitness centers and restaurant chains. Johnson recently became a partial owner in the Los Angeles Dodgers, which—with the way they've been playing—might be his only misstep in 25 years. 

Cost: $4,744
Year of Purchase: 1960

Let this be a lesson to all you young cats blowing your first league check on a canary diamond watch: spend your signing bonus wisely and you can ice out like Birdman on a ski vacation everyday of your life. Jerry Richardson spent his 1959 NFL championship bonus on the first ever Hardee's franchise and 35 years later controlled more than 2,500 restaurants and 100,000 employees. In 1993, Richardson became owner of the expansion Carolina Panthers and today boasts a reported net worth of more than $500M. Not bad.

Cost: $125,000
Year of Purchase: 1920

If we're using "smartest athlete purchases of all time" literally, it has to be the Yankees dropping the cost of a hip surgery to buy George "Herman" Ruth from the Red Sox. After six seasons in Boston (and three World Series championships), Ruth became baseball's most dominating force and was such a draw at the Polo Grounds that the Yankees were able to accrue enough capital to build Yankee Stadium. The Yankees would go on to win 26 World Series championships, while the Red Sox entered and 86-year-long shame spiral. #Treated