NBA Finals 2021 champion: how much money do the Bucks make?

Is money the motivation when it comes to winning the World Cup, the Super Bowl, the French Open or the NBA finals? It’s unlikely that’s the be-all end-all for players, but the chance to take home a large sum of money certainly plays a factor.

When it comes to the NBA championship game, there’s no guaranteed set of money awarded to each player. However, there is money given to players as they advance in the NBA playoffs.

NBA Finals 2021 news:

How much do the Milwaukee Bucks' players make for winning the 2021 NBA Finals?

The NBA creates what’s called a players’ pool. This is a large sum of money given out to players throughout the tournament. In 2018, that pool of money consisted of $20 million. In 2019, that number rose to $22 million. This sum of money is then distributed to the teams as they progress through the playoffs, meaning the winning team doesn’t bring home the full amount. However, they do go home with an extra bonus.

According to Forbes, the average NBA team is worth over $2 billion. There’s no question that there’s a lot of money to go around, and year after year, that number is increasing.

Consider the salaries of top NBA players, such as the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo reportedly has the highest salary ever in the NBA, taking home around $27 million a year.

How much is the NBA championship ring worth?

The NBA championship players bring home a cash bonus, but they also bring home a ring that continues to go up in value, and it’s one that varies depending on who it was worn by. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for example, auctioned off his 1987 NBA championship Ring for $398,937.50 and donated the proceeds to charity.

Just how much of a factor does money motivate athletes?

This question has been on the mind of sports coaches, captains, and teammates as they inspire their players to give their absolute all in the championships, no matter the sport.

Former NFL Packer, Mike Holmgren, understood that a big sum of money might sound grand on paper, but it’s hard to put into perspective. That’s why, according to Desmond Howard, Holmgren decided to paint his players a picture.

In Las Vegas, he brought his players into a room to have a motivational chat. They saw a white sheet covering something on a table. $100,000 in cash was then revealed to the players.

“Gentleman -- this is what we're playing for. A ring and for this. Not collectively. Individually. That's what you get. That cash right there,” Holmgren said.

Then did the Packers go on to win the Super Bowl?

Yes, they did. The Green Bay Packers won the 1997 Super Bowl in Louisiana against the New England Patriots. Each player walked home with their bonus.