I knew Rex Chapman as an NBA player, but I had no clue about his dad being a basketball coach, his playing days at Kentucky, and his addiction to pain medications and gambling on horses.
He started his NBA playing days with the expansion franchise, the Charlotte Hornets. Also on that team was Del Curry, whose son, Stephon, plays for the Golden State Warriors. Obviously, when Rex and Del were playing, Stephon was a baby and Rex not only babysat him, but also changed his diapers. He made quite a bit of money while in the NBA, but poor choices on his end (pain meds, gambling, and cars) dwindled that down to nothing. At a few down times, he did have to live in his car. He also did rehab twice to out the pain meds, and that second one worked.
So, he played college basketball under Eddie Sutton at the University of Kentucky for two years. He was the 8th pick in the 1988 NBA Draft. After his NBA days ended, he worked as a scout for some teams, did some broadcasting for college and NBA games, and was a social media influence. I have seen some of the stuff he shared on social media, and they always make me laugh and smile.
I really enjoyed his story, and his honesty about all that he went through. It goes to show you that people can get better if they are addicted to something, it just takes time and a lot of perseverance.
