Broke, Ballin, and Building Wealth: Desai Lopez & Kori McCoy Tell Their Story | Money Misfits

What happens when two former student-athletes grind their way from cramped apartments, long commutes, and shared Domino’s pizzas at College of San Mateo… to finishing finance and accounting degrees, walking on at D1 basketball, and landing Big Four job offers? In this episode, Professor Heath sits down with Desai Lopez (San Diego State, PwC audit associate) and Kori “Co” McCoy (Cal State East Bay, future finance grad and fashion entrepreneur) to talk about the JUCO hustle, the transfer grind, and the lessons they wish they learned earlier about money.

They open up about growing up in big families with limited money but big dreams, commuting hours every day, and even sleeping in cars between practices. We dive into what it was like to balance basketball, books, and bank accounts that were always stretched thin, and how that prepared them for the reality check of transferring to a four-year university. Both Kori and Desai share their experiences navigating rejection, finding mentors, and discovering financial literacy—whether it’s understanding taxes, credit, or the power of a Roth IRA.

This conversation is raw, funny, and inspiring—full of real talk about perseverance, networking, and building wealth from the ground up. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to transfer from community college, play college ball, or break into professional careers while broke, this one’s for you.