With one scrawl of the pen across the dotted line, Golden State Warriors rookie power forward Eric Paschall went from college kid to professional basketball player for one of the highest profile, wealthiest teams in the NBA. With that, comes a three-year contract and a deal with Nike. But for Paschall, the No. 41 overall pick in the 2019 draft, with those blessings come a ton of challenges.
On Media Day, his comments reflected that he has been warned about the potential pitfalls that come with being an NBA player, and it sounds like he is taking them seriously. The biggest things Paschall will have to get used to as a pro?
“Off the court,” he said. “All the distractions. Money, friends, women.”
Paschall noted that coming from a family of three sisters and having both parents in the picture grounded him with maturity to handle the pressures and temptations of money and fame. Knowing that he’s being watched, literally, also helps.
“You’re always going to have eyes on you,” Paschall said. “Like, at all times.”
But with a strong family foundation, upstanding teammates and the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program, Paschall is as prepared as he’ll ever be for life as a Warrior.
