Former NBA forward Jamal Mashburn recalled receiving a Ferrari 348 Spider as a signing bonus from Fila after agreeing to a reported seven-year, $7 million endorsement deal ahead of the 1993 NBA Draft.
Mashburn explained that the luxury sports car was his first vehicle, but he quickly encountered problems because he did not know how to drive a manual transmission and faced expensive insurance costs.
“My first ride was a signing bonus from Fila. It was a Ferrari [348] Spider. The funny thing about it, I didn’t know how to drive a stick. I was 19 years old and I went to get the thing insured and they was like, it’s going to be a premium for you to insure it.”
Rather than keeping the Ferrari, Mashburn decided to sell it to a dealership, receiving another vehicle and some cash in return.
He also shared an unusual detail about the person who eventually purchased the car, revealing that the buyer asked him to autograph it.
“So I sold the car to a dealership. I traded it in and got some cash back. The guy who bought the Ferrari from me, he was a high wealth individual out of Kentucky, he told me to sign the hood in a Sharpie, and he still has the car to this day.”
Mashburn entered the NBA in 1993 after being selected fourth overall by the Dallas Mavericks.
He went on to play 12 seasons in the league, earning an All-Star selection in 2003.
