VIDEO: In praise of Rex Chapman
King Rex, reimagined
Growing up, I wanted to be Rex Chapman. He was the star guard for the University of Kentucky’s basketball team. He was athletic. And skilled. And beloved by Big Blue Nation. (Also, he had the coolest nickname ever: “King Rex.”)
As I got older, I sort of forgot about him. He got drafted in the top 10 by the Charlotte Hornets and had a good but not great NBA career — plagued by injuries.
Then a few years ago at CNN, I met him — briefly. And I started following him on Twitter. And reading more about his life.
And I learned that it hadn’t been easy. He had a gambling problem. And had gotten addicted to opioids. It cost him a lot — financially and otherwise.
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But, Rex found his way through it all; he writes about his struggles movingly in his 2024 memoir: “It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me.” Buy it and read it. Trust me.
To me, Rex’s greatest accomplishment is not his basketball stats, which are, admittedly, amazing. It’s that he got to happiness after being a celebrated athlete. That when the bright lights moved on, he managed to figure out who he was and what he could give to the world.
I made a video about Rex. It’s below. I hope you check it — and him — out.
And, if you are too young to remember King Rex as the peak of his athletic powers, just watch this:
I was not a Kentucky fan, but thought Rex was a great college player. I agree interesting to see someone do well after struggling post career. There are a lot more Rex Chapmans post pro sports careers than there are Michael Jordans
I just finished Rex's book this week and really enjoyed it. I could relate to it on so many levels. He writes about the discrimination that he faced in Kentucky because he dated a black woman. My best friend growing up in a similar state experienced the same thing. Also, as someone who enjoys gambling and a few beers on a regular basis, I was very interested to read about Rex's troubles with gambling and opioids. I feel fortunate that I can enjoy those things in moderation, because not everyone can.