I lost my mansion and yacht after turning down a $21million contract

Latrell Sprewell’s NBA career will always be a tale of what could have been.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1992, he was the team’s leading scorer in his sophomore season and made the All-Star Game.

Spree averaged 20.0 points in his first six seasons with the Warriors and looked set for a decorated career.

But in 1997 he choked head coach PJ Carlesimo after being asked to “put a little mustard” on a pass in practice.

Sprewell had form for fighting with teammates and was suspended without pay for the rest of the season.

The NBA overruled Golden State’s decision to void the remainder of his contract – $23.7million over three years.

His second chance came when the New York Knicks traded for him in 1999 and he reached the Finals alongside Patrick Ewing and Allan Houston.

In 2003, he formed the NBA’s latest Big 3 with Kevin Garnett and Sam Cassell at the Minnesota Timberwolves – losing to a Los Angeles Lakers team spearheaded by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the 2004 playoffs.

Sprewell was offered a three-year extension worth $21million but turned his nose up at the money and ruffled feathers by declaring “he had a family to feed.”

He never signed another contract after snubbing a series of deals and retired in 2006.

“Sprewell played one more year for Minnesota without the contract extension, and played miserably,” Financial Juneteenth reported in 2015.

“Still thinking higher of himself than the teams or coaches he negotiated with, he was never again able to agree on a salary and has not played professional ball since.

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“So, some might say that his negative attitude caught up with him because no NBA team wants to sign an angry old man whose best days are behind him.”

Despite career earnings of $98million, the four-time All-Star was in financial trouble just a year later.

Sprewell was sued for $200million by the mother of four of his children, per the New York Times.

His Milwaukee mansion was foreclosed and $1.5million yacht ended up getting seized and auctioned off for $856,000, per ESPN.

Sprewell’s fiery personality got him into trouble on and off the court, but his talent was never in doubt.

NBA icon Michael Jordan regarded Spree as one of his toughest opponents.

“I think you saw Latrell Sprewell when he first made the All-Star team and got a chance to match up with Jordan, and you saw what a great player he was,” respected reporter Craig Sager told Basketball Time Machine.

“I remember talking to Michael later, and I said to him, ‘Who are the toughest guys you had to play against?’

“He said, ‘Now, Sprewell guards me as well as anybody.'”

Sprewell is still involved in basketball after being handed another lifeline by the Knicks.

According to his Instagram account he is working as an ambassador for the franchise and an “MSG media personality.”