Let's argue the bolded point. I live in Fayetteville, east of Syracuse... It is considered together as part of Fayetteville-Manlius demographically. It is one of the wealthier suburbs of Syracuse. The median household income is $80k.
Let's assume Lyden made $3.5M and paid taxes, agent fees and thus saved 30% of that money (because he's a kid and just knew he was getting a second contract). That leaves him with about $1M of cash. Not generational money, true but he could easily live on $50k (a modest/sustainable 5% draw rate) happily for the rest of his life.
Now, just to make a second point: I also am a financial planner with several hundred clients... Only about 2% of them have accumulated $1M in their working careers. Most of my clients will be just fine without anywhere near Lydon's million
The money in sports is so big is easy to get blase about 3.5 million, but that is real money earned. And it doesn't count his other earning opportunities, basketball or otherwise. Richardson with his extra million of salary is just that much better off.
I was once in the "stay in school"crowd, but the money has outgrown the value of college if you can get drafted. Plus, it isn't like he forfeited his degree.