Make Money by Being Mildly Good at Basketball

Yesterday we ran a post about how to make money by being mildly good at baseball in which we pointed out a few niche skills that can get you into the pros. Basketball works the same way. The starting salary in the NBA is $457,000 in 2010, so you can make more in basketball than baseball (min. salary is $400,000 in baseball). However, baseball has a high average salary.

In any case, basketball is a team sport with a 15 man roster, so there are a few spots on a team of 15 that are filled by role-players who have a single skill set. The most common niche-skill player in the NBA is the Three Point Guy. The 3 point guy is brought into the game for specifically designed plays that are meant to get the ball into his hands behind the three point line. His entire job is to make the shot. After the play is over he goes back to the bench. The 3 Point Guy is actually a very important player on good teams, and a good coach will have dozens of plays specifically designed around this player. It is an important role, but it is a role that nearly anyone can succeed in given enough practice. Most successful NBA players are extremely tall and muscular, and the average person would never make it in the NBA. However, the 3 Point Guy is different. He doesn't play most of the game, and only has one job. If you are a teenager of average size and you practice shooting baskets from 3 point range for several hours per day, you should get good enough to go to college for free, and to get a pro contract when you graduate. It is extremely difficult to make these shots with a 250 pound 7 ft tall athlete in your face, but if you practice constantly and have a good coach, you can do it.