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NBA star Draymond Green wants to be a billionaire by 40—here's his plan

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Here's how NBA star Draymond Green plans to be a billionaire by 40
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Here's how NBA star Draymond Green plans to be a billionaire by 40

NBA star Draymond Green has big goals for his money,and he's not afraid to lay them on the table.

"I want to be a billionaire. I want to be a multi-billionaire," he tells Maverick Carter in a new video series, "Kneading Dough."

What's more, he wants to notch his first billion by age 40.

The Golden State Warrior, who took home another championship in June, earns an average annual salary of $16.4 million, plus an estimated $4 million in endorsements. While joining the three-comma club will be a "tough task for sure," Green says, "I think I can reach it."

He's already on the right track — after all, the wealthiest people aren't afraid to think big and tend to set unreasonably high expectations.

Here's exactly how he plans on turning his millions into billions.

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors
Thearon W. Henderson | Getty Images

1. He surrounds himself with the right people

The most important decision Green says he's made to date, and one that will continue to determine his financial success, "is surrounding myself with the team that I have," he tells Carter.

The one piece of advice he would give to professional athletes, he tells CNBC, "is to always be curious and always continue learning. All young athletes should take the time to educate themselves and find the right mentors."

After all, who you hang out with matters. As author and self-made millionaire Steve Siebold writes in his book "How Rich People Think": "Successful people generally agree that consciousness is contagious, and that exposure to people who are more successful has the potential to expand your thinking and catapult your income. We become like the people we associate with, and that's why winners are attracted to winners."

Green with teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
Ezra Shaw | Getty Images

2. He makes smart investments

Ultimately, "investing money is how you will get super rich," says self-made millionaire Grant Cardone.

That's what Green is doing with a portion of his income. In fact, since the Warriors are in the heart of Silicon Valley in Oakland, locker room talk is often about investing. And it can get competitive, too — in a friendly way.

"We all talk about the investments that we have and how they're doing and some of the start-ups we're trying to get into," he tells Carter. "It's known that KD [Kevin Durant] is in Postmates, so he kind of flexes his muscles on Postmates right now. It's some good, fun competition, and I think it's great to keep pushing guys in the right direction."

The Warriors aren't the only pro-athletes putting their money to work and funding start-ups. NFL Glover Quin, who has invested in a variety of start-ups, plans to double his income by investing.

Detroit Lions safety Glover Quin (27) runs with the ball after intercepting a pass during game action between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
Scott W. Grau | Icon Sportswire | Corbis | Getty Images

3. He keeps his spending in check

Green's the first to admit that he's made stupid purchases in the past. The most regrettable one? "A $21,000 night in the club," he says. "That's $21,000 that I can never get back. People say: 'That isn't nothing to you.' $20,000 is still $20,000. I don't care how much money you have, it's still $20,000."

Now, Green says, when it comes to spending money, he always considers his long-term goal: "Every day, every decision I make is, 'How is this helping me become a billionaire?'"

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