As a first-generation sports analyst raised in Chicago’s South Side, I’ve seen how financial incentives distort athletic dreams. Chinese players earn up to ¥5M annually—yet leave behind the global stage. Meanwhile, European clubs offer €6K/month and demand grit no one dares to risk. This isn’t about money—it’s about systemic erasure. Here, I ask: When you pay a child to stay in a greenhouse, who truly believes in ‘effort pays off’?