Proud dad reveals the midnight shooting sessions behind Josh Giddey’s NBA success at the Bulls as generational wealth awaits
Josh Giddey is already on a massive salary of over $10 million a year but if, as expected, that explodes to five time the amount, his family will be set up for generations. MATT LOGUE speaks to his dad, Warwick.
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As a self-confessed tight arse who was raised to be frugal in a working-class family, Warrick Giddey is “blown away” by the prospect of his son earning $47 million annually in his next NBA contract.
Josh Giddey is set to take home the big bucks following a career-best season with the Chicago Bulls.
Giddey has made the most of his challenging trade from championship contenders the OKC Thunder to the rebuilding Bulls.
After a slow start as he found his feet in a new franchise, the Melbourne-born guard is averaging a triple-double in his past 20 games post the All-Star break.
The hot form hasn’t gone unnoticed by Chicago – who according to US reports – look set to reward Giddey with a hefty contract extension this off-season.
The rising Boomer is already earning $13.3 million a season, but this sum is poised to explode and his proud dad Warrick is still coming to terms with the cash that will set the Giddey family up for generations.
“The money is just absurd,” Warrick told Code Sports.
“What they pay in the NBA and you compare it to real life situations and people doing some important jobs around the world.
“Fortunately for Josh the NBA is one of the best paying gigs in the world and it all goes on factors like what the league is earning.
“Josh has to accept in some senses that he isn’t going to go broke if he achieves his full amount and potential.
“He is always going to live happily ever after, so it is just amazing the money these great athletes can make.”
GENERATIONAL WEALTH
The whopping dollars on offer in the NBA is even more mind-boggling for Warrick given his humble beginnings.
Both his parents were school teachers on modest wages, so there wasn’t a lot of spare cash laying around the house.
He was a successful basketballer in his own right, winning two NBL championships, but his yearly salary with the Melbourne Tigers in the 1990s was around $80,000 to $100,000.
Warrick didn’t go without by any means, but he was taught the value of working hard to achieve.
It’s an admirable quality that has been passed down to Josh, meaning the life-changing money won’t go to his head.
“We’ve always had to pull the purse strings,” said Warrick, who confirmed Josh has been extremely generous to the family with his NBA earnings.
“I was just never rich and I was probably frugal with my money.
“We’d get a loaf of bread and some bananas or cheese and meat rather than going to the shop to pay 10 bucks for a sandwich.
“I always tell the story about going through MacDonald’s drive through with the kids and we could only afford a small meal deal and not a large.
“But these days we’ll up-size. Life has definitely changed, both on and off the court that Josh is now so financially comfortable.
“There will be family wealth down the track.
“We’ve always had the value of money and so does Josh. He used to get paid $60 to do a school camp, so he has come a long way.”
SISTER’S SUPPORT
Warrick revealed his daughter Hannah – who recently finished her US college studies in Oklahoma City - plans to move in with Josh in Chicago.
The budding basketballer is expected to return to Melbourne to play NBL1 for the Tigers before returning to the US to live with her brother.
“I told the kids this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Warrick said.
“Don’t wait until you are 10 years down the track to think, ‘oh, I should go and hang with Josh’.
“Now is the time to do it while he is at this level and to enjoy the ride with him.”
Money and success aside, Warrick is particularly proud of Josh’s resilience following a difficult trade from the OKC Thunder.
He even concedes he would have preferred his son stayed at the Western Conference leading Thunder to contend for a title.
“But it takes balls to go to a side like Chicago, which wasn’t a great side in a sense and seemed a little bit in disarray,” he said.
“So, the risk to move there but really back himself.
“There was no guarantee that he was going to start and get minutes.
“He had a few poor performances at the start as he was trying to get a feel for the other guys around him.
“The team then made some personal changes through trades and since the All-Star break things have changed immensely.
“It’s like the Bulls are a new franchise and team.”
MIDNIGHT SHOOTING SESSIONS
Warrick credits Josh’s work-ethic for his successful season in Chicago.
He remembers seeing his son’s dogged desire to improve during trips to America last season to watch him play for the Thunder.
If Josh had a poor shooting game, he’d stay behind until midnight just to get up 45 minutes worth of shots.
“People don’t really see all the extra work that goes on behind the scenes,” he said about Josh, who is averaging 22.6 points, 10 rebounds and 9.1 assists for the Bulls since the All-Star break.
“They judge you on your performance and games and when you aren’t shooting well they assume you are not putting the work in.
“So I feel so happy for Josh that he is now getting the rewards for all the hard work he has put in and it is really showing on the court.”
BULLS BLESSING
Warrick is also relishing the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see his son play for one of the world’s most iconic basketball brands in the Chicago Bulls.
Asked what it is like to see Josh in the same Bulls singlet made famous by Michael Jordan and Australia’s own Luc Longley, he said: “It’s so surreal.
“The greatest thing when Josh went to the Bulls was that every kid – me included – had an old Bulls singlet.
“I definitely had one and I think most men our age who grew up with Jordan are the same.
“You are talking about one of the most iconic basketball teams in the world and Josh is a leader of the pack leading the franchise with a ball in hand.
“That to me is just so special and hopefully Josh can reward the franchise for taking that risk and punt on him.”
NEXT GEN BOOMERS ON GIDDEY’S RADAR
The LA Olympics is still three years away, but Giddey says the Boomers are in a strong position with a host of gifted youngsters coming through the ranks.
He is excited about the potential of players like Tyrese Proctor, Alex Toohey, Johnny Furphy and Perth-born big man Alex Condon who is producing eye-catching performances for Florida on the US College stage.
“I watched Alex play the other day against Alabama and he was unbelievable,” Josh Giddey said about Condon, who is averaging 11.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists for the Gators.
“That was probably the first time I’ve seen him, but then there is also Tyrese (Proctor), Alex (Toohey) and Rocco (Zikarsky).
“There are a lot of guys coming through the pipeline of Australia who can really make an impact on the program.
“There are going to be tough choices and there could be a point where we are leaving NBA guys out of the team, which is a really good problem to have.
“Capes is going to have his hands full making those types of decisions.
“It is a long way away the LA Olympics, but I think the depth we’re going to have at our disposal is going to be as good as it has ever been.”
Originally published as Proud dad reveals the midnight shooting sessions behind Josh Giddey’s NBA success at the Bulls as generational wealth awaits
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