Ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, forward Rui Hachimura shared a near-miss story as if it were nothing. A moment that sounded like a joke at first turned into something far more revealing about pressure and impulse.

Two years ago, the Lakers won the inaugural Cup, and each player on the roster received $500,000 in prize money. However, Rui Hachimura wasn’t thinking about long-term security. He told reporters ahead of their game against the Spurs:

“I was going to bet on the black, roulette… All 500,000… I didn’t do it. I got scared. I’m not going to lie.”

It wasn’t just empty talk. A $500,000 bet would’ve doubled into a $1 million payout in a single spin if things went right, a seven-figure swing right there. Hachimura said that he instead spent the

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