Imagine you are a generational talent in a sport like football, basketball, or soccer, but you can’t afford the expensive teams and training camps that would help you get recognized. This has become increasingly common recently, as wealthy individuals can afford to attend sports-centered schools that bring recognition to players who don’t have to work as hard. Nowadays, if you don’t have money, the chances of making it far as an athlete are becoming increasingly lower. 

In 2019, 45% of players drafted to the NBA went to private high schools and colleges. Scouts are mainly watching the big schools that are reputable for producing great players, rather than going to lesser-known schools and trying to find a diamond in the rough.

Since the wealthier schools are monitored more closely, it makes it nearly impossible for athletes who don’t play on an AAU team, which are private teams in organized leagues, to create mixtapes and afford private schools, thereby limiting their chances of being noticed. Recently, athletes have been less passionate about sports because their careers are handed to them. For example, Ace Bailey is a rookie in the NBA this year who rejected various workouts from NBA teams. His management didn’t want him to go, which seems somewhat greedy because he was likely trying to steer his pick to a specific team. Despite his attempted maneuvers, he was picked by the Utah Jazz, one of the teams he refused to work out with. 

This problem applies to soccer players the most, especially in America. It’s so much easier for players in Spain or the United Kingdom to get attention due to soccer being one of the main sports in those countries. Meanwhile, in the US, soccer is very pay-to-play. If you aren’t a one-of-one star at a young age, you will likely have to pay thousands of dollars for soccer academies in order to get recognized.

Statistically, it’s harder to go pro in any sport if you don’t have the money for all the fancy camps and teams. These expensive advantages are what bring exposure to the rich kids because they are known for being “good,” unlike a regular high school in the countryside that might have one or two good players. I feel like the players who have to work harder in sports are the ones who shine the brightest, like Ronaldo or LeBron, because they play with full passion and love. It all makes sense to be honest, most of the “GOATS” in sports actually worked their way up and earned their position.