Jeremy Sochan After Bagging $25,000 With 0 Points in Rising Star’s Challenge: “Easiest 25 I Ever Made”

The San Antonio Spurs forward guard, Jeremy Sochan, has the most comical and honest answer to getting $25,000. Having been part of Team Jalen, which won the Panini Rising Stars Challenge, ensured that the Polish-American got the 25k. Contrary to popular expectations, the G League players doused Victor Wembanyama and Team Pau in the first round.

So those who were expectantly waiting for a showdown between the leading candidates for the ROTY had to be disappointed. But on the other hand, nobody expected the G League to showcase such brilliance. Yet, they didn’t stand the same chance against Team Jalen.

Sochan, despite going scoreless in two games and attempting a combined two shots, said, “That’s the easiest 25 I ever made.” Truer words were never spoken!

While this might seem like a drop in the bucket for the top earners of the league, many rookies and players who are on short-term contract will find this to be quite helpful. Sochan had signed a four-year $23 million extension with the Spurs last October. Out of this, $10 million is guaranteed, and he gets an annual salary of $5 million.

And Sochan has to work hard for all this. But getting $25,000 without virtually doing anything is definitely the basketball Gods throwing that extra pixie dust on him. Aside from this, events like the 3-point contest, AT&T Slam Dunk Contest also has the financial incentive as the added attraction.

The prize money for major events of the NBA All-Star Weekend

The highest prize money event in the All-Star is none other than the Slam Dunk Contest. According to the CBA, the winners of the AT&T contest are eligible for $105,000. The 3-point contest winner gets $60,000, and the Skills Challenge, $55,000. The CBA also stipulates that the participants of the winning team in an All-Star Game will each receive $100,000, while those on the losing team will get $25,000.

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The players of the winning team in rookie-sophomore games get $25k, as we saw in Sochan’s case. $10,000 is given to each player on the losing team as well. But in case there are more than two teams in these games, the second-placed team gets $15k. The same rules apply to the Slam Dunk and Skills Challenge.

• The AT&T has prize money up to fourth place (2nd: $55k, 3rd and 4th: $20k).
• Three-point shootout goes to eight ranks (2nd: $40k, 3rd: $25k, and the rest, $15k).
• The skills challenge (2nd: $40k, 3rd and 4th: $20k, and the rest, $15k).

It is quite obvious that the Slam Dunk Contest offers the most money. Yet, it has failed to attract top names. Although the former 3x Dunk Contest champion Nate Robinson opined that was the prize money $1 million, the reception might be different. And that’s a topic that is open to discussion.

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