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I actually cried during the reading of John D. Rockefeller’s biography by Ron Chernow. I read it twice.Yes, he was a monopolist but within the context of very few other moguls of his size and getting in on the ground floor of the oil and railroad business—-one can understand his unfettered expansionist mentality.What made him extremely sympathetic to me was that we did some of the same things as a child (Warren Buffet did so as well) including keeping a detailed journal of personal childhood expenses (mine was comic books—-using Marvel Age as a prescient reference manual I would detail out to the dollar how much I needed by each Thursday when the comics would arrive at the local Optimo store), further including forays into small businesses (mine was selling photocopies of role playing games and enlarged scenes of comic books to poster size)—-all done at my mother’s office at AT&T.I felt a simpatico with young Rockefeller. The thrill of the calculation and small entrepreneurial enterprises and the thrill of creating money from one’s network.Later in life when he’d amassed a significant fortune he made detailed, valiant efforts to be philanthropic, to aid society because of his deep and true religious beliefs. Including Spellman college for Black women and the University of Chicago, he was a pioneer about racial, gender and social education at a time where ignoring it would’ve cost him nothing and been the norm.The toll that this took on him, including running Standard Oil was immense because there were very few contemporaries to look to for guidance or mentorship at that time (late 1800s to the mid 1900s) so he did it himself. Now wealthy people have wealth management offices and philanthropic specialists to assist them in the dispersal of their money. He had neither.Everyone would request money of him because he was popularized as the richest man in the world. He received thousands of letters a day. Later he would design both an office and hire a philanthropy manager when he realized it would destroy his health if he didn’t shutdown the access to him directly and distance himself from the work.Oprah & Her FamilyThis has struck me several times in my life as I have gained more and more resources—-my family’ s insanity about money giving me insight to the day Oprah invited her ENTIRE family to her ranch in Indiana and awaiting them was a sumptuous spread of food for a hundred folk and a dozen attorneys, who took each one into a private room and they were given what they would be given, for their entire lifetimes, to stop the barrage they’d assaulted her with for years.Oprah has taught me about having boundaries with everyone when it comes to money. To take a minute to think about it, pray on it and yes, get legal folk involved, as I have, in the past so that everything is clear.My FamilyMy family, scaled down, inappropriately has done things over the years—-tricked me, lied to me, bamboozled me, begged from me, even taken me to court for money. I’ve had them call my jobs, universities, track me down—-not for birthday wishes or Christmas gifts, but to ask for money/guesstimate how much I had/have.Money, money, money. I’m lucky in that I’ve been both judicious, circumspect and have kept my distance so that even in court, it all fell back upon the greedy relative-an in-law—legal fees, his attorney fees, time, energy—- and I skated away with only a $200 clerk’s fee. I had given him money and would’ve given him more but he wanted too much and was trying to leverage my mother’s dying emotionally against not understanding that it was my mother who taught me to always be clearheaded, no matter the hurricane around me, about money and people.The Future, My Company, My WorkBut I have to scale up, I think about what my work is worth and will be worth as the next 25, 50 years, 75 years, 125 years, progresses. I think about how to structure things for a spouse, my children, my grandchildren, the future. I think about how I have to keep an accounting of everything and everyone so that there are no insane (ala Prince’s family) claims against my estate one day. It’s something that becomes a job by itself.I have recently had to think about and approached several relatives and some favored students about inclusion into my financial will/beneficiary stuff. Un/fortunately a couple of them didn’t completely understand what I was offering so I was able to cross their names off of lists.I was then trying to explain to someone the other day that making money isn’t the hard part—-it’s difficult yes, to get the one or three step process from thought to action to outcome, as money—-but the REAL work is next—-what to do with money? How to make money make money? How to give away money? Whom to help? What is help and what is charity? When is help dangerous to give?Last Week’s DeathA distant relative's mother passed away and we’d had a recent discussion about it when I got word a week later about it being within a week/terminal time. Then it came to a condolence card to pass on to this relative with money in it. A deal had just worked out well for me so I have a little extra on direct hand so my question was what was appropriate to give, to help?I had to ask several direct and impertinent questions.Was there needed help for burial costs?Were we trying to make up the lost work/paychecks of the daughter, who was the primary caretaker, in the last weeks?Or was this sort of a cash in the card for the thousand and one little expenses that come up during this time?I’ve found that requests for money give license to be all up in folk’s business though I try to be delicate and make general assumptions rather than get all nitty gritty.I rarely carry cash on me so that meant a special trip to the bank depending upon the answer. (It turned out to be a sympathy card/little expenses but I still gave the most as an individual.)My Mother’s Lessons About Money In A Mink CoatYears ago, my mother had the same issue when her closest sister unexpectedly died and left her world in a financial disarray. My mother, in a mink coat no less, having flown me down from Buffalo to Brooklyn, to be in my late aunt’s plastic covered furniture apartment, harangued the family that just because she had a net worth and cash in multiples of millions didn’t mean that they—-her older brother and sister—-wouldn’t split family burial costs by thirds or fourths as they had for other relatives. My mother was of course ready to fill in any shortfall, her and my aunt were besties (ironically dying of the same things and dysfunctions 20 years apart) but she didn’t see my aunt’s financial irresponsibility, nor her personal fortune, as reason for everyone else to get a break from family contribution.It was a hard ass discussion and there were tears and begging but my mother stood by her principle until my aunt and uncle, fully capable, coughed up a fourth each and my mother did half. They and my aunt’s children didn’t like my mother for it and even I was silently to the thought that she could just shut it all down with a fast money market check but she had a point and taught me a valuable lesson.My money is not anyone else’s money just because they are aware that I have money.My Winning the Lottery!That’s one of the issues with money in general that keeps increasing, multiplying, coming up in a variety of ways from family, friends, relatives, students even a few days ago I was in a store. I was cashing a lottery ticket—I’d won a few hundred dollars. Yay me! On Sundays the younger brothers let grandpa run the store as it’s quiet and business slow. He makes a big to-do about cashing the lottery ticket—-as he takes the money out of the till saying it’s his “personal money”.No, it’s not and no, I didn't know what he meant but weirdly when paying out lotto tickets small retailers take your winning seriously. There’s a whole icky thing about their personal feelings about money, your winning, perhaps even the color of whose winning and handing over money—-though by city and state law they are suppose to. It’s weird. The feelings people have about giving money over to you that isn’t theirs (because they get reimbursed based upon the winning ticket being cashed there.) It’s just weird, some people are attaching their energy/feelings about money. Most, like 85%, cash it fine if they have the cash on hand. It’s just something I’ve noticed over the years.So anyway, he begrudgingly counts out my cash and then I recount it, he snatches up half of it and recounts it that I was counting. I smile politely put it in my wallet and turn to walk out, stopping to let two ladies come in and pass by me. He then yells at me from behind as I’m putting in my ear phones.I turn thinking maybe I dropped something.He yells: “No tip?”“Excuse me?” I’m perplexed, confused even.“You’re not going to tip me?!” he demands.“Sir, a tip is for service. In this case, that would be extraordinary service. You gave me basic service. That’s not deserving of a tip.”“It was my personal money.”“”In the register?” I shrug.“Okay, fine then. be like that. I’ll get you.”“What? After school? What are you? Twelve?” I leave the store.But in a short glaring way it was like I had money and suddenly should provide him with some because he was aware of it and wanted some. Entitlement.That’s one of the hardest things about having money—-trying to figure out how and when to appropriately give and not.#KylePhoenix#TheKylePhoenixShow

This answer may contain sensitive images. Click on an image to unblur it.When an extraordinarily talented boy is born, is robbed of his childhood, abused physically and emotionally by his overbearing and sadistic father, and given 750m- 1 billion dollars, Michael Jackson happens!!!!It is actually quite simple. Michael Jackson spent more money than he had. He lived beyond his means for many years. The King of pop lived indeed in a very kingly fashion. He was thus in a financial free fall. In 2005, he was was bringing in 10–20 million $ but he spent 30–40 million $ a year, twice or thrice his income, which kept adding layer upon layer of debt and that put him on cash poor position.No doubt Michael Jackson had a spectacular and larger than life lifestyle. He could spend 6 million dollars in one day, no object was unattainable for him. Anything he liked he bought it without a second thought!!! He spent millions of dollars on his mind blowing homes, out of this world vacation, exotic animals. He spent more money on security than any other pop star, he literally could not get out of his house without being mobbed by fans, he even had his own body double, Navi, whose full time job was to make people think he was Michael Jackson, for which he willingly went under the knife. Michael Jackson would either fly on private jets or on a concord, with the finest leather seats, Rolls Royce engines and its very own wine cellar (on a 12000 $ ticket).Jackson only stayed in the finest hotels, his posh hotel suites when he vacationed in the Bahamas cost a staggering 25.000 dollars per night!!!In 2002, Michael Jackson spent 62000 $ on a 5 day holiday in Paris. At Disneyland in L.A. Michael Jackson booked 3 floors all to himself!!! Michael Jackson ‘s personal chef Larry D. Banares at Eurodisney cost him an additional 2000 $ per day as he was on call 24/7!!! In Eurodisney he always stayed at the luxurious Sleeping beauty suite, cost several thousands $ per night.Also, he often booked an entire restaurant for himself, when others need to work a year to book a table!!! In 2001, Michael Jackson spent 500.000 dollars to have Tavern on the Green, one of the most profitable restaurants in New York, to himself and his 100 closest friends, for his post concert party to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a solo artist , after which he allegedly collapsed exhausted into his handlers’ arms.By 2005 however, Jackson had not released a new studio album since 2001, had not toured since 1997 and he kept spending like it was 1988 ( he made 125 million $ in 1988 alone ) !!! As a result, he could not pay his elecricity bills in Neverland in 2005 as he confessed to Ron Burkle, a billionaire friend of his , at Johnnie Cochran’s funeral. By 2000 his annual expenses totaled at least 20 million dollars, including 5 million dollars on security and Neverland maintenance, 5 million dollars on legal and professional fees, 7.5 million on personal expenses, 2.5 million dollars in miscellaneous costs and on top of that 11 million in interest on his massive loans!!!He spent thousands of dollars on mountains of toys and extraordinary jewellery. He could drop just 80.000 $ in just a few hours on toys. He spent 2 million $ on a diamond encrusted code of arms in 2003. Most of the time he never even asked how much something cost before buying it. When he went shopping the department stores closed down for him!!! He didn’t use shopping bags for his purchases, trucks showed up at the store the next day and picked up everything he bought. At some point he spent an outstanding 6 million dollars on jewellery, antiques, artwork in Las Vegas in only one day!!!Even though he owned ridiculously luxurious homes he often rented other places too. In 1999, he rented a 75.000 $ a month for nearly 2 years ( 2 million dollars) a 7 story, 12000 square foot, New York town house, with 6 bedrooms, a huge living room and a private elevator and just a few blocks away he kept a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel.He also wanted to buy a 1700 acres private village in Sicily, Italy for 31 million dollars!!! He never bought it but he had his eye on it!!!A forensic accountant , who testified in the 2005 trial, said that Jackson spent 15–20 million dollars per year more than he made. What did he spend it on? Artwork, antiques, jewellery, shopping sprees, utilities, legal fees, security, travel and charity. Michael Jackson supported 39 charities , more than any other celebrity , for which he was awarded with the World Record Guinness.He visited an orphanage and a children’s hospital in every city he toured, he made gigantic donations and often paid for sick kids’ medical expenses for years. Throughout his life he gave about 300 million dollars to charity, if not more. He donated 1,5 million dollars he got from Pepsi after he sustained 2nd and 3rd burn injuries during a pyrotechnic accident while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 to the hospital he was treated for his burn injuries for a burn center which was named after him and he donated all the money he made from his Victory tour in 1984, 4 to 6 million dollars , to charity, upon controversy for the expensive tickets. During the Victory tour Jackson traveled on a rental jet cost 1.3 million dollars. In 1984, the Jackson 5 signed a 5 million dollar endorsement deal with Pepsi. He gave his royalties from his single The Man in the Mirror from his Bad album in 1987 to charity. His Heal the World Project also helped many children in distress all over the world. In addition, he supported financially many of his family members. By the late 90’s his personal spending was estimated at 750.000 $ per month.The major problem was his extravagance, not the lack of income. He was still asset rich when he died but he had a cash crisis. He owed a lot of money, up to 400 million dollars. He borrowed 200 million dollars in December 1998 and an additional 70 million dollars in 1999 from Bank of America. The reason he took multi million dollar loans was firstly to pay off previous debts and to support his lavish lifestyle. Those loans defaulted in 2005 and were thus sold to Fortress, which charged him with double digit interest rates. In other words he paid at least 11 milion dollars per year only on loan interests!!!By the time he died in 2009 Jackson had not worked in a decade. His last World Tour was in 1997 and it only made a 10% cut of the profit because of the money he spent during the HIStory Tour on himself and its production cost. His ill fated comeback tour This is it, a lucrative 50 concert date residency at O2 Arena in London, would have secured him a 100 million dollar profit. The AEG tour promoter stalked him for a tour since 2007 but Jackson always refused. Though HIStory Tour was his highest in attendance tour ever it hardly broke even.He only made 10 - 20 million dollars on the History Tour ( 10% cut of the profit istead of 30%) , which grossed 165 million dollars , petty cash for Jackson, as Neverland’s annual maintenance cost alone was 5–6, sometimes even 10 million dollars , as at times Neverland staff ballooned up to 150 people. Why didn’t the History tour make Jackson more money, if it was so successful? Because he paid himself production costs the tour promoters didn’t approve of worth several thousands dollars, like a stunt with a working jet pack, cost 10.000 $ a pophe chartered private jets for him and his entourage to fly around the world, he rented an entire floor of luxurious suites , cost several thousands$ per night ( 12.500 $ per night a suite ). The landing fees at military fields, as the planes he flew in were too big to land at many civilian airports, cost Jackson 200.000 $!!!! He also paid lodging fees for security guards, publicists and managers!!! By 1999, according to Frank Cascio, Jackson’s assistant then, Jackson paid for the mobile phone bills of 500 people who worked for his companies he had never even met!!! By then his financial advisors varied from sketchy ( Dieter Weisner) to random ( Al Malnick, a Florida real Estate Mogul , alleged mobster) . In 1992, Sony asked Jackson to add 6.4 million dollars himself on a series of music videos. He also seemed uninterested in dealing with money issues. He seemed disengaged.His last studio album Invincible released in 2001 was considered a flop, though it was the top selling album of the year. The problem was that Jackson kept spending based on the peak of his cash flow, which had by then dramatically diminished, and kept borrowing against his asset base, thus placed a severe strain on his finances.Invincible only sold 10–13 million albums worldwide, thus, the sales were very disappointing compared to his previous albums. Invincible was a comeback album for Michael Jackson, who hadn’t released any new material since 1997, and he was hoping it would be his most successful album ever. The production cost were up to 40 million dollars. Michael Jackson was haunted by Thriller’s success , which he could never repeat again. He blamed Sony for not promoting Invincible and accused Mottola, whom he called a racist and the devil, of deliberately sabotaging his album and thus his finances so he would have to sell his 50% atv catalog for petty cash. In 2005, he was very vocal that Sony was behind the allegations of child molestation, which led to a multi million dollar, highly publicized trial. Truth be told Sony was always after his atv catalog, worth now at least 1–2 billion dollars ( as of 2016, Branca sold the catalog to Sony for 750 million $), because indeed Bashir whose infamous interview triggered the 2005 trial released an album under the record label of Sony in 2010 and Branca was fired in 2003 for working for Sony behind Michael’s back. There was thus a conflict of interest. However, his main conflict with Sony started before Invincible as Sony would not rever to him the masters of his songs licenses until many years later, which he used to get out of his contract.Ironically enough, it was Jackson who supported Mottola over Walter Yetnikoff ( the Jewish, recovering alcoholic, with the foul mouth President of CBS). He fired Frank Dileo in 1989, his manager since 1984, urged by David Geffen ( the billionaire movie and music mogul, Yetnikoff’s biggest enemy ) and hired Allan Grubman, Bert Fields and Sandy Gallin ( David Geffen’s and Tommy Mottola’s people). In 1990, Jackson fired John Branca only to rehire him in 1993. It was Branca who negotiated Jackson’s 50% sale of the atv catalog to Sony for 115 million, which at first offered Jackson only 75 million dollars for the entire catalogue, but Branca demanded he was given as a fee in addition 5 % of the catalog. Jackson , who was sued for millions by his Dangerous Tour promoters for breach of contract, as he cancelled his concert dates, woefully agreed. In 2006, Branca would oppose to a multi million dollar loan Jackson was trying to secure from Sony that would have allowed him to remain solvent and thus avoid involuntary bankruptcy based on this 5% of the catalog Jackson gave him in 1993. Jackson then second mortgaged Neverland to buy out Branca’s share and never saw Branca again , who along with MacClain emerged as co executors of his Estate, but only 9 days before he died on 25 June 2009. By February 2008 Neverland Ranch was facing foreclosure for 24 million dollars.Jackson refinanced his loan through Colony Capital, which led to his ill fated This is it comeback tour, as the Colony Capital Ceo Thomas Barrack ( good friends with AEG owner Philip Anschutz) would not buy his 24 million $ loan unless Jackson produced a revenue. Michael Jackson was introduced to real Estate billionaire Thomas Barrack by dr Tohme Tohme, a con man who used to be married to Randy Philips’ sister, worked for Colony Capital and later worked as Jackson’s manager and took complete control over Jackson’s life. Jackson was terrified of dr Tohme Tohme ( whom he met through his brother Jermaine) and fired him in May 2009. According to Frank Dileo Michael Jackson trusted the wrong people a lot of times in life. I believe dr Tohme Tohme injected Michael Jackson with the lethal shot that killed him. Michael Jackson’s bodyguard Whitfield said that Michael told him about his This is it comeback tour : ‘'You're going to see the vultures come down. Everyone's going to want a piece." He clearly feared for his life.Again, Jackson woefully agreed to THIS IS IT , even though the last thing he wanted to do was perform live and even though he had essentially abandoned Neverland ( as he felt it was contaminated by evil after it was raided by law enforcement) since 2005, when he was unanimously acquitted of child molestation, accusations which emerged from the Arvizo family, who during the 4 month public jury trial, were exposed for the perjurers, profiteers, serial false accusers and liars they were. Jackson helped Gavin Arvizo and his family financially , he gave them a laptop, a van , they charged thousands of dollars on the Neverland account on spa treatments , dental work, shopping sprees, he bought cancer patient Gavin an expensive watch, he had his Neverland employees donate blood for Gavin , without knowing that the Arvizos were con artists , who hustled celebrities for money, the mother Janet was a psychopath , who coached her kids to lie and prior to Jackson she falsely accused two other men of guess what: sex abuse. Michael Jackson was extremely naive at times and many took his kindness for weakness.The media circus trial, a waste of both Jackson’s and taxpayers’ hard earned money, took its toll on Jackson who could not eat or sleep, lost a lot of weight and was literally a dead man walking. The 3 million dollar bail was returned to him upon his acquittal ( it was 3 times higher than what the USA give to a murderer and it would have been 400.000 dollars for anyone else, allegedly paid by Al Malnick) but the large legal fees were an additional burden on Jackson , who was by then 300 million dollars in debt due to overspending and financial mismanagement.His lawyer Tom Meseareau was owed money (a 6 figure amount) for years (thanks to Jackson’s publicist Raymone Baine, who even had the nerve to sue Michael for 44 million $ alleging breach of contract in May 2009, a lawsuit that was eventually dismissed) and Mesereau was finally paid by the Estate after Jackson died in 2009. John Landis and Ola Ray, his Thriller video director and co star ,who also sued Jackson for unpaid royalties in 2009, were also paid by his Estate after Jackson died.Upon his acquittal in 2005 Jackson self exiled to Bahrein as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah of Bahrain ( he was introduced to the Sheikh by his brother Jermaine), who bankrolled Jackson's costs if he recorded the sheikh's own compositions. But the deal came to nothing. Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa sued Jackson for Dhs 5.7million ( 7 million $) in November 2008. In his lawsuit, Al Khalifa claimed he gave Jackson millions of dollars to help shore up his finances, cut an album, write an autobiography and subsidize his lifestyle — including more than $300,000 for a "motivational guru." The lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount, allegedly 5–7 million $. Neither the album nor book was ever produced. Michael Jackson and his children were understood to have been planning to fly in to Luton Airport by private jet and were reportedly booked into the Dorchester Hotel with his permanent detail of five bodyguards at around 7000 pounds!!!! a night, had the case not been settled out of court.However, after a time as a guest at the palace, Jackson bought a house formerly owned by a Bahraini MP. He moved into a mansion in Sanad, about 10km south of Manama, after reportedly paying 8 million $ !!! for the property, even though at the time he was on the brink of bankruptcy. He left Bahrein for good in June 2006 and he never came back. He then moved to Ireland and he returned to the USA in 2007, but not in Neverland , which he considered tainted after it was raided by 70 police officers on 18 November 2003, when 13 year old cancer survivor Gavin , who appeared in Bashir’s interview and Jackson helped battle cancer, accused him of molestation, when his family were referred to the same civil attorney Larry Feldman, who got the 15 million dollars settlement for the Chandlers’ in 1993, charges on which Jackson was cleared on 13 June 2005. California state labour officials urged Jackson to close the Neverland Ranch and fined him 169.000 $ for failure to provide employment insurance in 2006.Michael Jackson bought his atv catalog for 47.5 million dollars in 1985, an investment that generated a steady stream of multi million dollar income per year. He sold half of it to Sony for 115 million dollars in 1995. He used his catalogue, his own music’s rights and his Neverland ranch as leverage for the loans he took in 1998–99 from Bank of America. Michael Jackson bought his Neverland Ranch in 1988, a 3000 acres ranch with a 1000 foot square Tudor mansion in Santa Ynez Valley, for 19.5 million dollar cash. Until then he lived in Hayvenhurst, where the Jacksons moved in 1971, half of which he bought from his father, who was having financial problems, for 500.000 dollars in 1981. He owned 75% of Hayvenhurst Jackson house in Encino, California and his mother Katherine co owned the remaining 25% . By 2009, this property was also mortgaged and facing foreclosure.Jackson renovated Hayvenhurst to his liking and thus spent thousands of dollars on it. Hayvenhurst was in fact a smaller version of Neverland. By 1980 Jackson’s net worth was 37 million dollars, as his Off the Wall album sold over 20 million copies. However, it was Thriller , released in 1982, that launched Jackson to a financial nirvana. By 1985 Jackson was worth at least 1oo million dollars and by August 1985 he owned one of the best music catalogues, including the Beatles’ songs.Hayvenhurst was a Tudor style mansion with a three tiered white fountain, with peacocks, deer, llamas, a boa constrictor and even a giraffe lived on the site, while swans swam in attractive ponds. An enormous swimming pool featured fountainheads carved to resemble bearded Neptune”, and the house itself boasted a 32-seat movie theater, a trophy room lined with gold and platinum albums, and a private Jacuzzi exclusively for Jackson’s use.Not bad for Jackson who started from a two bedroom house in Gary, Indiana , his father Joe Jackson worked at US Steel as a crane operator and his mother Katherine worked part time at Sears struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table for their 9 kids. In 1968, he made half a penny a record as a member of the Jackson 5. In 1983 he made 43 million $ on Thriller and an additional 91 million $ in 1984. His Bad album and tour in 1988 netted him a staggering 125 million dollars. Since 1983, his annual earnings would all be at least double digit numbers. The spending however was twice or thrice as much. His Bad, Dangerous and HIStory albums all debuted at #1 and grossed 150 million dollars combined. Also, he owned the rights of his songs, most of which he wrote, composed and produced himself!!! His endorsement with Pepsi earned him 12 million dollars!!! Michael Jackson made money as easily and as fast as he spent it and vice versa. Hence, his cash flow was an issue in the 90’s and the ‘00’s.Jackson at 25 ( 1983) was already a multi millionaire and a veteran in show bizz. Jackson made 16 million dollars on Captain EO in 1986 , a space 3D opera that featured at Disney theme parks, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and executive produced by George Lucas, sold over 50 million albums of Thriller, 22 millions albums of Bad and his Bad tour had a record breaking profit of 125 million dollars!!! His cut on the Bad tour, attended by 4,5 million people, was 70 million dollars!!! In 1988, he released his autobiography Moonwalk, which immediately became a best seller. The 80’s was his golden era. Everything he touched in the ‘80’s turned into gold. In 1990, his fortune was estimated at least at 300 million dollars. After 1997 Jackson stopped touring and his album sales began to fall dramatically, however.He gifted his attorney John Branca , who negotiated the terms of the purchase of the Sycamore Valley Ranch in 1988, which he renamed to Neverland, with a Rolls Royce. He also gifted him with a Rolls Royce when Branca helped Jackson buy his atv catalog in 1985, arguably his best investment ever. Jackson was the best man in Branca’s wedding in 1987, where he appeared with his pet chimp Bubbles dressed in similar outfits. Bubbles the chimp, which Michael Jackson bought in 1984, was dressed in designer clothes and slept in a crib in Michael’s room. He also bought his mother Katherine a Rolls Royce in 1984. He bought his mother Katherine and Elizabeth Taylor diamonds worth million dollars!!! In 1991, Jackson insisted he paid 1.5 million dollars to host Taylor’s 7th wedding in Neverland.She gifted him with an elephant for his menagerie zoo to show her appreciation, which Jackson named Gypsy. After Elizabeth Taylor defended him in the documentary The Michael Jackson Interview: The footage you were never meant to see in 2003 , Jackson bought her a $600,000 necklace as a little thank you.He bought Debbie Rowe, his second wife and biological mother of his two eldest children Prince and Paris a car in the 80’s and he paid for her college tuition. Upon divorce in October 1999, Rowe also got an 8 million $ cash settlement, paid on thousands of dollars on an annual basis by Jackson, based on the prenup they signed before Jackson married 6 month pregnant Rowe in November 1996 in Australia. He also gifted her with a 2 million $ Beverly Hills mansion. Debbie Rowe said about Michael ‘’ He was magnanimus, he truly was’’.Prior to Debbie Rowe Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in the Dominican Republic in May 1994. The marriage was a publicity stunt.His talent manager, Sandy Gallin, talked him into the marriage to quell gay rumors after the 1993 scandal but he was in fact as ridiculed as ever. Nobody bought the marriage which ended in January 1996. Lisa Marie Presley was paid her royalties for the YARNA video, in which they appeared half naked based on Gallin’s idea, and whatever else they agreed. Both Lisa Marie Presley and Sandy Gallin dissed him later out of bitterness and vengeance. Lisa Marie Presley, whose romantic ideations for Jackson were unrequited, because he rejected her and Sandy Gallin because he fired him in 1997. Meanwhile, he spent crazy money on Diana Ross, the love of his life.fake marriage certificateJackson met Rowe through dr Arnold Klein, who diagnosed Jackson with discoid lupus and vitiligo in 1983, as she was his medical assistant since 1981. David Geffen, who obviously had influence on Jackson, introduced him to dermatologist dr Arnold Klein, aka the King of Botox, who like Geffen, was also openly gay and Jewish, and like Jackson, also liked living lavishly. Klein administered Demerol to Jackson since the early 90’s and again in 2009, under several different aliases, which caused his insomnia and thus his addiction to propofol, of which Jackson died in 2009, at the hands of his 150.000 $ per month debt ridden physician dr Conrad Murray. Another addiction of Jackson’s was plastic surgery, on which he allegedly spent 300.000–500.00 dollars, enabled by greedy and unethical doctors. Jackson started seeing dr Arnold Klein again in 2007 after he returned to the USA. Dr Arnold Klein who was broke at the time convinced him to have botox implants and Jackson spent thousands of dollars on Dr Klein per month, paid by his advances from AEG, who filed for bankruptcy after Michael died. In the 2013 AEG wrongful death trial Debbie Rowe tearfully testified how doctors exploited Jackson’s low tolerance to physical pain and thus triggered his painkiller addiction.Jackson spent millions to make the sprawling ranch he called Neverland his dream home. It was certainly inspired from Disneyland, which Jackson visited frequently.Jackson spent tens of millions in renovations to Neverland. Neverland featured a huge floral clock, a faux victorian railway station, an amusement park ( he bought 10 rides from 1990 to 1997, most of which were custom made and especially desinged for Jackson, a second hand ride cost 650.000$, the ferris wheel he bought in 1990 cost 300.000 dollars )., a menagerie zoo with a massive collection of exotic animals (such as chimpanzees, alligators, llamas, elephants, tigers, reptiles, giraffes, an albino python ), cost 1 million dollar a year to maintain,, a 50 seat theater room ( with adjustable hospital beds for sick and bed ridden kids he often invited to the ranch), a games room, a tennis court, a swimming pool, the main house and a guest house.The interior of the 25 room mansion was full with works of art and memorabilia, and featured 18th century floors that had been shipped to the US from a French chateau. As if the railway, amusement park, movie theater and zoo weren’t enough, there were a host of other amenities on-site at Neverland. This included Teepee Village, a mock Indian campground complete with carpeted teepees with underfloor heating and interior sound systems. A bonfire area could be used for roasting marshmallows and storytelling. Neverland even had its own fire department, complete with a small fleet of working engines and full-time firefighters. Occasionally, the firefighters were dispatched to help contain brush fires on neighboring ranches. Close to the kitchen there was a life-size figure of a butler in a swallowtail coat. The kitchen itself was enormous, housing a large dining table, and looked capable of serving a restaurant rather than a private home.The library contained a huge number of leather-bound books. Once Jackson paid 100.000 dollars cash to buy an entire book store as he was an avid reader!!! Neverland had a staff up to 100–120 people on an annual payroll of 1 million $ . Th e petting zoo, the gardening, utility bills, salaries, maintenance cost of Neverland was a staggering 5 million dollars a year!!!! thus it put a strain on Jackson’s finances.Jackson's private Jacuzzi was located in his bedroom and overlooked the ranch. The floor outside Michael Jackson’s bedroom was wired so that whenever anyone came within five feet of the entrance, dingdong noises would sound. Inside, a movie screen dropped down from the ceiling, and Jackson’s pet rat lived in a cage. The room was connected by a secret staircase to a special guest room, the Shirley Temple Room.Jackson, though a shrewd businessman at first, later in life had no grasp of money and had out of control spending habits. He bought anything he liked regardless how much it cost. Michael Jackson was a shopaholic and a spendaholic. He self indulged to his every whim and he spent millions on the 1939 Oscar for Gone with the Wind (1.5 million $) , a 40.000 $ king size miniature castle he imported from Germany,on paintings that depicted him life-sized, elaborately costumed, in heroic poses with cape, sword, ruffed collar, crown,a fortune teller in the games room, which sat in a separate building at the rear of the house. This contained a huge variety of arcade-style video games, pinball machines, a penny press machine and a photo booth. Candy and ice cream were readily available. All of the games featured slots for quarters, but none of them required actual payment. Everything at Neverland was free to enjoy. Jackson didn’t skimp on details. The games room, for example, featured door knobs shaped like miniature basketballs, baseballs and soccer balls. Jackson imported a king size castle from Germany, a gigantic golden chess, bronze statues of children he installed all over Neverland, hebought the scissors from the Tim Burton film Edward scissorhands ( were auctioned at 5300 $) , mannequin children, as well as other gadgets worth million of dollars. He wouldn’t mind spending 750.000$ on two animatronic figures and an antique clock he had taken a liking to, which led his financial handlers to call for a financial intervention, most of whom were vultures, pariahs, yes people, sycophants. In 2005, Jackson discovered that his manager Dieter Weizner embezzled his money.In other words, he bought whatever he liked. His enviroment were indifferent at best, opportunists, self serving, liars at worst . He did not want to face his financial problems. He was clearly in denial. His spending showed no signs of slowing. His compulsive spending was the main problem, he always made millions annually even if he didn’t work because of his publishing rights. Many of his financial advisors could not even reach him.In addition, further disasters followed - flurries of actions against him from former lawyers, managers and advisers over deals gone sour and unpaid invoices. Most of the time he settled out of court for several thousands of dollars. He spent million of dollars on legal fees.Jackson also owned a stretch Rolls Royce, among other luxurious cars ( SUV, Mercedes, Bentley). Starting 1985, Michael Jackson used to travel the 19-mile (31 kilometers) distance from his Encino home to his Los Angeles studio in his Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL. Later, he gave the car to one of his aunts, for her birthday. Jackson was generous to a fault. In 2000, his ex-wife Debbie Rowe confirmed, in the divorce papers, that Michael had a thing for cars. And he would lavishly spend for them.Therefore, he left behind an impressive car armada made up of a total of 75 vehicles!!! Some of them are:Cadillac Escalade. He said the SUVs felt safe and it was even better as his Escalade had tinted windows to keep him sheltered from the flashes of the paparazzi.A 1999 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph, with a Palais of Versailles-like interior, all crystal and 24-carat gold, was exclusively designed by Michael Jackson himself ( 500.000 $ worth).A 1990 Rolls Royce Silver Spur II Limousine. The limo was trimmed in contrasting black and white leather and also provided with a full-service bar and dark tinted windows.A 1988 Lincoln Town Car Limousine, with a much more tamed interior for which gray leather and fabric trims were used, together with walnut paneling.A 1993 Ford Econoline E150 van. The pop star’s tastes extended from limousines to vans. His Ford came with a video game player, a TV screen located at the front of the passenger seats and high-end leather upholstery.A 1954 Cadillac Fleetwood. This car also starred in the “Driving Miss Daisy” motion picture. Elvis Presley had an older version of the Fleetwood.A 1988 GCM V Jimmy High Sierra Classic. As strange and unfit it may seem for a king, this is a fire truck Michael Jackson purchased just for fun.By 1993, Jackson was already 24–30 million dollars in debt, mostly because of the money he was pouring into Neverland, cancelled video shootings and million dollar shopping sprees. Hence , he sold 50% of his ATV catalogue to Sony in 1995 for 115 million $. His ATV catalog, purchased in 1985 for 47.5 million dollars and 50% of it sold to Sony in 1995 ( 5% of it given to Branca in 1993) , was his financial lifeline and used it as collateral for multi million dollar loans. His Estate, run by John Branca and John MacClain, sold it to Sony for 750 million $ in 2016.Jackson only gave two sold out concerts in MSG in New York in September 2001, when he celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist. He performed heavily sedated. In 2002, Jackson had a new baby, Blanket, via an anonymous surrogate, who was allegedly paid 25000 $ and whom he lavished with expensive gifts. He took his children’s with Debbie Rowe full custody upon their divorce in 1999, she gladly relinquished her parental rights in 2001 but in 2006 Rowe took Jackson to court to have that decision reversed. Jackson was ordered to make her the payments she was owed 50.000 $ on living expenses and paid her 195.000 $legal fees. She was also given visitation rights. Allegedly, Debbie Rowe, who defended Jackson in 2005, though a witness for the Prosecution, sued Jackson, not for the children, but to get his attention, as she had a crush on him, which Lisa Marie Presley admitted herself.Previously, he gave two charity concerts in Seoul and in Munich in 1999, Michael and Friends. During the Munich concert he got badly injured, which triggered a vicious circle of painkiller addiction. In 1993, Jackson cut short his Dangerous Tour to go to rehab, as he developed an addiction to painkillers and sedatives, with which he was first acquainted in 1984, when his scalp got badly burned during a pepsi commercial. In 1991, Jackson made 31 million dollars on the Dangerous album, which was faster selling than both Thriller and Bad and has sold so far 40 million albums. The cancellation of the remainder of the Dangerous tour was however a huge financial loss. Thus, by 1993 he was 24 million dollars in debt.In August 1993 he faced molestation allegations from Evan Chandler, whose son Jordan Jackson met and befriended in 1992, when his car broke down in Wilshire Boulevard and Jordan’s step father David Schwartz, who ran a car rental agency Rent-a-Wreck, came to his rescue and instead of charging Jackson for his services Schwartz asked him to call his step son Jordy, which sadly he did.Jackson traveled around the world with Jordan’s mother June Chandler Schwartz, a stunning Asian former model, and her two kids, Lilly and Jordan,and gave her expensive jewellery like a Cartier love bracelet.Evan Chandler, Jordan’s father, was a dentist by trade but also an aspiring screenwriter who blackmailed Jackson for money using his 13 year old son Jordan, when Jackson refused to finance his screenplays. Chandler suffered from bipolar disorder, he killed himself in 2009 and nobody attended his funeral , sued Jackson for 30 million dollars in 1993 , who settled the civil lawsuit out of court as the judge violated his rights for a fair criminal trial by not deferring the civil trial and not allowing the criminal trial to go first.It is a myth he paid the settlement ( about 20 million dollars ) by himself . His insurance company Lloyds of London negotiated the terms of the civil settlement and paid for it , in spite of Jackson’s protests, who did not want to settle. Had a civil trial occurred the legal fees would have been twice as much and it could take up to 7 years and would have been paid by Lloyds of London. Hence, his insurance carrier, pressured him to settle, which he later regretted. However, the highly publicized allegations tarnished his image. In 1994, Blanca Francia, a former Neverland employee also accused him of molesting her son Jason because she too wanted to secure an easy payday like the Chandlers did. This time, Jackson did pay her 2.4 million dollars ( chump change for Jackson) and this settlement was also signed that it was by no means an admission of guilt or wrongdoing on his behalf. Blanca Francia sold the story to Hard Copy for 20.000 dollars, she never went to the authorities and she was not found credible by the jury when she testified in 2005. How could the jury believe a woman who gave a sworn deposition she never witnessed any wrongdoing, was refuted by Mac Culkin and Wade Robson, by her own admission profiteered from the allegations, only alleged impropriety that took place in 1990 in 1994, after the Chandler scandal, which she never however reported to the Police and her own son Jason, whom Jackson allegedly molested, told the Police in 1993 he was not inappropriately touched? The Francias, the Chandlers and the Arvizos were all money hungry leeches. Among many in Michael Jackson’s life. His own family members included.Why did Jackson pay this money hungry leech Francia who remembered in 1994 her son was molested in 1990 , when word got out the Chandlers got millions by accusing Jackson of molestation? Because he wanted to finish and promote his HIStory album, on which Sony spent 30 million dollars merely for the promotion. He had a bigger fish to fry, in other words. HIStory album sold 20 million copies in spite of the negative publicity and became the biggest selling double disc ever. In addition, had he not settled and gone to court the legal fees would have by far exceeded the cost of the 2.4 million $ he paid Francia. Obviously, he didn’t buy her silence since she gave a paid interview to tabloid tv anchor Diane Dimond for 20000 $, whom Jackson sued for libel and defamation for 100 million dollars. That was a common problem for Jackson with his Neverland employees, who in addition to selling fabricated, salacious stories to the tabloids for money also stole him money and valuable art work, thus Jackson fired them and sued them.Kassim Abdool, Ralph Chacon, Adrian McManus, Sandy Domz and Melanie Bagnall sued Jackson in the 90s alleging wrongful termination. Three of these five people – Abdool, Chacon and McManus – testified for the prosecution at the Jackson’s 2005 trial in support of their “prior bad acts” case. None of these people ever reported or even mentioned what they had allegedly seen at the time that the alleged molestations and improprieties supposedly occurred. These stories first surfaced in the spring of 1994, more than half a year after the Chandler scandal went public. At that civil trial the Neverland 5 and their attorney were sanctioned $66,000 for lying during their depositions and on the stand and for discovery violations (ie. for hiding evidence from Jackson’s lawyers). Judge Zel Canter, who presided over the civil trial, left the bench after stating he was disgusted . The jury rejected the wrongful termination lawsuit against Jackson and ordered the Neverland 5 to pay him damages. The court also imposed attorneys fees and costs of $1.4 million against plaintiffs. Tom Sneddon, a corrupt D.A. who was after Jackson since 1993, helped Dimond get out of the lawsuit and thus Dimond became his closest ally. Dimond’s best source on slandering Jackson was Victor Guituirrez, the Chilean journalist, a pedophile and public advocate for NAMBLA, who was ordered to pay Jackson 2.7 million dollars when he won a slander suit in 1998. Guituirrez filed for bankruptcy, left the USA and never paid Jackson.By early 2000, Jackson’s biggest expenses were no longer private jets and flash cars, but the interest on his enormous borrowings. According to one ‘executive involved in his affairs’, Jackson was making monthly payments of about $4.5 million in 2005 on a debt of $270million. That works out at an annual interest rate of about 20 per cent.By 2005, when Jackson’s financial problems became public during his 2005 trial, he made ridiculous payments on loan interests, at least 4.5 million dollars on loan interests monthly !!! By 2008, he owed 400 million dollars. In July 2008, Julien ‘s auction house organised a sale with his memorabilia in Neverland ranch, on Jackson’s request who desperately needed cash. Nearly 1400 items were selected from his elaborate, over the top belongings, from Jackson’s tour bus to a painting of Michael with Bubbles the chimp, one of his famous handmade gloves covered in Swarovsky crystals even the front gates of Neverland. Michael Jackson , needless to say, did not reveal the reason of his memorabilia sale was his financial problems. By 2007, he defaulted on his 24 million $ loan on Neverland , which was thus facing foreclosure.He clarified that he didn’t want 3 of his Rolls Royces sold , because he wanted to give them to his kids when they got married. However, he stopped the auction the last minute!!! The sale, which would have generated thousands of dollars, was called off and once again Jackson settled out of court with Julien’s House. Instead of making money, he lost money!!!From 2007 and until he died a 27,259-square-foot estate was a sanctuary for Jackson and his three children . Nicknamed the ‘Thriller Villa,’ the home features seven bedrooms, 12 full baths, and a 2,983-square-foot guest house. The king of Pop did not own that house, he rented it for several thousands dollars. He did however want to buy a house in Las Vegas, where he resorted upon his return from Ireland. Neverland still bled money but Jackson would not sell it. In January 2006, Jackson was fined with 169.000 for failing to pay his employees salaries’ and insurance for 2 months, most of whom were laid off soon after. Neverland stood abandoned. His bodyguards were also unpaid for months, though they never blamed him. They said he was mismanaged. Indeed, it was Raymone Bain’s, Jackson’s publicist’s, fault. His credit cards were declined and thus they were evicted from hotels!!!One of the most striking features of the estate is its two-story Medieval-style chapel, with 74 seats and a hand-painted ceiling. Other highlights included an opulent salon with a huge stone fireplace and a Murano glass chandelier, a bell tower, and a large outdoor courtyard for entertaining. The large basement also featured a secret passageway that Jackson used to reach his car without being spotted by the paparazzi.Before he died he rented a 100.000 $ per month mansion at Holmby Hills in Los Angeles, where he took his last breath, paid for by his advance from AEG. His physician dr Conrad Murray and later convicted killer was also paid 150.000$ to knock out Jackson , a chronic insomniac, to sleep. As he missed rehearsals from his This is it Comeback tour , due to his deteriorating health ( he was legally blind, suffered from osteoarthritis, his lungs were collapsing, had Demerol withdrawal symptoms) Randy Philips, the AEG CEO, who was fired shortly after the 2013 wrongful death trial, visited Jackson late at night at his home, reminding him who paid for his house rent, threatening to pull the plug, after which Jackson cried, as his son Prince testified in the 2013 trial.Jackson’s death on 25/06/2009 cleared his finances. He was the best selling artist the year of his death ( he sold 9 million albums, twice what Taylor Swift sold). His debts have all been paid off and his Estate is now worth over 1 billion dollars. His unimaginable wealth is again a magnet for further opportunistic vultures like Wade Robson and James Safechuck who alleged in 2012 they were molested by Jackson and thus sued his Estate for money even though they previously denied several times any wrongdoing on his behalf. Wade Robson testified under oath as an adult twice in Jackson’s defense, once in front of a jury, and in 1993. Their lawsuits were thrown out of court. Brett Barnes, whom they bullied to back up their bogus story, posted this on Twitter.In other words, Barnes called Robson and Safechuck ( whose lawyers dropped him as he was lying and there was no way winning the case ) greedy and liars. Indeed, by Robson’s mother’s admission Robson had financial problems when he made those allegations and Safechuck was also from a poor family ( his father was a garbage collector).Before you judge Michael Jackson please bear in mind that he was a great humanitarian, he gave a lot of money to charity, he left 20% of his Estate to various charities and even on his death bed he talked about building a hospital for children. He was completely innocent of anything they ever accused him of , which is proven by medical evidence, judicial documents and court testimonies. Hundreds of children visited Neverland over the years, only 3–4 made such accusations, coerced by their proven mentally ill parents, motivated only by greed.Michael Jackson was surrounded by leeches all his life, he was non stop ridiculed by the media, he went through an unnecessary trial in 2005, hence he was cleared on all counts, he is the most heavily and unfairly attacked celebrity ever, and mostly the same people , who now successfully run his Estate, based on a void will, allegedly signed on 7 July 2002 in Los Angeles, deliberately ill advised him into a complex web of debt when he was alive. Michael Jackson sells more tickets dead than most artists do alive. He is the biggest selling artist on i tunes, he has sold approximately 50 million albums since he passed away, he was the breadwinner for his family since he was 6 years old. Please bear in mind that John Branca worked for Sony behind Michael’s back, he still does and he sold to Sony the atv catalog for 750 m$ in 2016 even though the Estate was more than solvent. Sony would not have bought it for 750 m$ had it not been worth 3–4 times as much. Had Michael Jackson not died in July 2009 he would have been free of Sony in July 2009.RIP Michael Jackson.sources:Michael Jackson Died Deeply In DebtMichael Jackson’s 10 most extravagant purchasesThe Prosecution’s Witnesses – Ralph Chacon, Kassim Abdool and Adrian McManusDan Glaister on Michael Jackson's divorceThis is What Became of Michael Jackson's Private Neverland Theme ParkMichael Jackson - the man who blew a billion. The mind-boggling spending of the world's wackiest pop star

Free throws should be easy points on a basketball court.These uncontested shot attempts, 15 feet from the basket, after a foul (personal, technical or flagrant), can mean the difference between winning or losing a game. But shooting free throws is as much a mental exercise as a physical art. While some NBA players struggle from the charity stripe, other players should never be sent to the line, especially in a close game.These former and current NBA players have the best career free-throw shooting percentage. To qualify, they needed to have 1,200 career free-throw attempts. Some of the names might surprise you.Unknown fact: Jose Calderon, who holds the record for best free-throw percentage in a season at 98 percent (151 of 154 free-throw attempts made with the Toronto Raptors in the 2008-09 season), doesn’t make the cut for this career list with an 87.3 career free-throw percentage.30. Mike NewlinHouston Rockets guard Mike Newlin, center, faces a tight situation against the New York Nets in 1977.Lennox McLendon/AP PhotoLength of career: 11 seasons (1972-82)Teams: Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets, New York KnicksFree-throw attempts: 3,456Free throws made: 3,005Free-throw percentage: 87.029. Hersey HawkinsHersey Hawkins implores the Seattle SuperSonics crowd to cheer against the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1998.Elaine Thompson/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (1988-2001)Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics, Chicago BullsFree-throw attempts: 3,985Free throws made: 3,466Free-throw percentage: 87.028. Kevin MartinSacramento Kings guard Kevin Martin sets for a free-throw shot against the Denver Nuggets in 2010.David Zalubowski/AP PhotoLength of career: 12 seasons (2004-16)Teams: Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio SpursFree-throw attempts: 4,091Free throws made: 3,561Free-throw percentage: 87.027. Mo WilliamsMo Williams prepares to shoot a free throw against the Dallas Mavericks in 2014 as Dirk Nowitzki argues the foul called on him.Tony Gutierrez/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (2003-16)Teams: Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte HornetsFree-throw attempts: 1,795Free throws made: 1,563Free-throw percentage: 87.126. Jeff MaloneUtah Jazz player Jeff Malone, right , drives around New York Knicks player Hubert Davis during a 1993 game.Kevin Larkin/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (1983-96)Teams: Washington Bullets, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami HeatFree-throw attempts: 3,383Free throws made: 2,947Free-throw percentage: 87.125. Darrell ArmstrongOrlando Magic guard Darrell Armstrong playing against the Houston Rockets in 2003.Pat Sullivan/AP PhotoLength of career: 14 seasons (1994-2008)Teams: Orlando Magic, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, New Jersey NetsFree-throw attempts: 1,679Free throws made: 1,463Free-throw percentage: 87.124. Kiki VandewegheDenver Nuggets forward Kiki Vandeweghe drives toward the hoop against Kansas City Kings guard Larry Drew in a 1984 game.Don Emmert/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (1980-93)Teams: Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles ClippersFree-throw attempts: 3,997Free throws made: 3,484Free-throw percentage: 87.223. Terrell BrandonCleveland Cavaliers guard Terrell Brandon drives past San Antonio Spurs guard Avery Johnson in 1995.Mark Duncan/AP PhotoLength of career: 11 seasons (1991-2002)Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland CavaliersFree-throw attempts: 2,043Free throws made: 1,784Free-throw percentage: 87.322. Kyrie IrvingBoston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving during a 2017 game against the Charlotte Hornets.Chuck Burton/AP PhotoLength of career: 8 seasons (2012-present)Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston CelticsFree-throw attempts: 1,969Free throws made: 1,723Free-throw percentage: 87.521. Ricky PierceRicky Pierce shoots against the Chicago Bulls in a 1991 game.Fred Jewell/AP PhotoLength of career: 16 seasons (1983-98)Teams: Detroit Pistons, San Diego Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Charlotte HornetsFree-throw attempts: 3,871Free throws made: 3,389Free-throw percentage: 87.520. Earl BoykinsWashington Wizards guard Earl Boykins (12) is a man among trees, as he shoots against Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur (13) and Kyle Korver (26) during a 2010 NBA game in Washington, D.C.Nick Wass/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (1998-2012)Teams: New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, Houston RocketsFree-throw attempts: 1,433Free throws made: 1,255Free-throw percentage: 87.5819. Isaiah ThomasIsaiah Thomas, playing for the Phoenix Suns in 2014, is a study in concentration as he prepares to shoot a free throw against the Golden State Warriors.Rick Scuteri/AP PhotoLength of career: 9 seasons (2011-present)Teams: Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver NuggetsFree-throw attempts: 2,551Free throws made: 2,236Free-throw percentage: 87.6518. Jeff HornacekUtah Jazz guard Jeff Hornacek slips between Chicago Bulls defenders Brian Williams (18) and Michael Jordan (23) during Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals in Chicago.Michael Conroy/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (1986-2000)Teams: Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ersFree-throw attempts: 3,390Free throws made: 2,973Free-throw percentage: 87.7017. Dirk NowitzkiDallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki takes a free throw against the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the 2009 Western Conference semifinals series in Dallas.Donna McWilliam/AP PhotoLength of career: 20 seasons (1998-present)Team: Dallas MavericksFree-throw attempts: 8,189Free throws made: 7,201Free-throw percentage: 87.9416. Kyle KorverUtah Jazz guard Kyle Korver sets for a free-throw shot against the Denver Nuggets in 2010.David Zalubowski/AP PhotoLength of career: 17 seasons (2003-present)Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland CavaliersFree-throw attempts: 1,365Free throws made: 1,202Free-throw percentage: 88.0615. Kevin DurantGolden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots a free throw in a 2016 preseason game in Denver.David Zalubowski/AP PhotoLength of career: 11 seasons (2007-present)Teams: Seattle Supersonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State WarriorsFree-throw attempts: 6,000Free throws made: 5,294Free-throw percentage: 88.23Nine-time All-Star. Eight-time All-NBA. Four-time scoring champion. Two-time NBA Finals MVP. League MVP. And Rookie of the Year. Like him or not, Kevin Durant has entered the NBA’s GOAT conversation. Although he was criticized for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, do the Golden State Warriors win back-to-back championships without him?14. Bill SharmanBoston Celtics guard Bill Sharman (21) flies through John McCarthy (15) and Bob Pettit (9), rear, both of the St. Louis Hawks, as he attempts to score during an NBA playoff game at the Boston Garden on March 29, 1960.AP PhotoLength of career: 11 seasons (1950-61)Teams: Washington Bullets, Boston CelticsFree-throw attempts: 3,559Free throws made: 3,143Free-throw percentage: 88.3113. Damian LillardPortland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard composes himself before shooting a free throw during a 2017 game against the Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills, Mich.Carlos Osorio/AP PhotoLength of career: 6 seasons (2012-present)Team: Portland Trail BlazersFree-throw attempts: 2,692Free throws made: 2,381Free-throw percentage: 88.4512. Larry BirdBoston Celtics forward Larry Bird practices his foul shot without the ball during a workout at the Boston Garden before Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.Peter Southwick/AP PhotoLength of career: 12 seasons (1979-1992)Team: Boston CelticsFree-throw attempts: 4,471Free throws made: 3,960Free-throw percentage: 88.5711. Reggie MillerIndiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller practices his free throws over two hours before the start of their game against the Chicago Bulls in Indianapolis on April 20, 2005 — Miller's last regular-season home game, before retiring after the season.Darron Cummings/AP PhotoLength of career: 18 seasons (1987-2005)Teams: Indiana PacersFree-throw attempts: 7,026Free throws made: 6,237Free-throw percentage: 88.7710. Scott SkilesScott Skiles, playing for the Indiana Pacers in 1988, attempts to score against New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing during a game at Madison Square Garden in New York.Ron Frehm/AP PhotoLength of career: 10 seasons (1986-96)Teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Washington Bullets, Philadelphia 76ersFree-throw attempts: 1,741Free throws made: 1,548Free-throw percentage: 88.919. J.J. RedickMilwaukee Bucks guard J.J. Redick shoots a free throw against the Orlando Magic during a 2013 game in Orlando, Fla.John Raoux/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (2006-present)Teams: Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ersFree-throw attempts: 1,818Free throws made: 1,618Free-throw percentage: 89.008. Calvin MurphyCalvin Murphy (23) of the San Diego Rockets takes a shot in an NBA game against the Boston Celtics in Boston on Jan. 21, 1971.AP PhotoLength of career: 12 seasons (1970-83)Teams: San Diego Rockets, Houston RocketsFree-throw attempts: 3,864Free throws made: 3,445Free-throw percentage: 89.167. Ray AllenBoston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen shoots a free throw after a technical foul on the Washington Wizards during a 2012 game in Boston.Winslow Townson/AP PhotoLength of career: 17 seasons (1996-2014)Teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle Supersonics, Boston Celtics, Miami HeatFree-throw attempts: 4,920Free throws made: 4,398Free-throw percentage: 89.396. Chauncey BillupsDenver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups sets for a free throw in a 2010 game against the Detroit Pistons in Denver.David Zalubowski/AP PhotoLength of career: 17 seasons (1997-2014)Teams: Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Los Angeles ClippersFree-throw attempts: 5,029Free throws made: 4,496Free-throw percentage: 89.405. Peja StojakovicSacramento Kings forward Peja Stojakovic shoots over Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady in a 2005 game in Sacramento.Steve Yeater/AP PhotoLength of career: 13 seasons (1998-2011)Teams: Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Dallas MavericksFree-throw attempts: 2,500Free throws made: 2,237Free-throw percentage: 89.484. Rick BarryGolden State Warriors forward Rick Barry (24) moves the ball down the court during a 1966 game against the Cincinnati Royals at San Francisco’s Civic Auditorium.Robert W. Klein/AP PhotoLength of career: 10 seasons (1965-80, took six-year hiatus from 1967-72 to play in the ABA)Teams: San Francisco Warriors, Golden State Warriors, Houston RocketsFree-throw attempts: 4,243Free throws mae: 3,818Free-throw percentage: 89.983. Stephen CurryGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry attempts a free throw during a 2016 game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles.Kelvin Kuo/AP PhotoLength of career: 9 seasons (2009-present)Team: Golden State WarriorsFree-throw attempts: 2,514Free throws made: 2,271Free-throw percentage: 90.332. Mark PriceCleveland Cavaliers point guard Mark Price runs into a brick wall named Michael Jordan in a 1989 NBA playoff game in Chicago.Mark Elias/AP PhotoLength of career: 12 seasons (1986-98)Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Orlando MagicFree-throw attempts: 2,362Free throws made: 2,135Free-throw percentage: 90.391. Steve NashPhoenix Suns guard Steve Nash shoots a free throw in 2005 against the Seattle SuperSonics at KeyArena in Seattle.Ted S. Warren/AP PhotoLength of career: 18 seasons (1996-2014)Teams: Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles LakersFree-throw attempts: 3,384Free throws made: 3,060Free-throw percentage: 90.43