Image via Complex Original
They may have been the big man on campus, but eventually, they realized that life following their NCAA Tournament glory days can be rough. After taking over and making a name for themselves throughout March Madness in the 1980s and 1990s, many of those guys struggled to translate that success in the NBA. Some did find their way, others were forced to try establishing themselves outside of the United States, and a few simply gave up on their professional dreams altogether. Find out what memorable college basketball names like Ed O'Bannon and Christian Laettner are doing these days in Where Are They Now? The NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Players of the '80s and '90s.
RELATED: Where Are They Now? Your Favorite Basketball Players of the 2000s
Darrell Griffith, Louisville (1980)
Draft Selection: 2nd Overall, 1980
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1980-1991
Accolades: 1981 NBA Rookie of the Year
After a storied career at Louisville, "Dr. Dunkenstein" Darrell Griffith went on to have a very solid pro career. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1980 and played all 10 seasons of his career with the Utah Jazz. Griffith also had his jersey retired by the Jazz back in 1993. After his career ended, Griffith founded Metro Enterprises, a warehousing and distribution network. Griffith has stayed true to his Louisville roots, maintaining the position of special assistant to the president at the University of Louisville.
Isiah Thomas, Indiana (1981)
Draft Selection: 2nd Overall, 1981
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1981-1994
Accolades: 2x NBA Champion (1989–1990), 1990 NBA Finals MVP, 12x NBA All-Star (1982–1993), NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
Many would argue that Indiana University coach Bob Knight prepared Isiah Thomas for the NBA with his tough love style of coaching. Thomas had a Hall of Fame career with the Detroit Pistons that featured highlights like two championships, and twelve All-Star nods. After his great career, Thomas has entertained many positions centered around basketball to varying degrees of success. These included ownership stakes in the Toronto Raptors and the Continental Basketball Association, coaching Florida International University, the Indiana Pacers, and the New York Knicks. He also held executive positions with the Raptors and Knicks, though the latter was rather tumultuous. He currently holds a broadcasting position with NBA TV.
James Worthy, North Carolina (1982)
Draft Selection: 1st Overall, 1982
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1982-1994
Accolades: 3x NBA Champion (1985, 1987–1988), 1988 NBA Finals MVP, 7x NBA All-Star (1986–1992), NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
"Big Game James" Worthy had a great run with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping lead the franchise to three championships. The Hall of Famer has appeared in guest roles on television shows like Star Trek and Everybody Loves Raymond. He also was CEO of Worthy Enterprises. Worthy can be currently found covering the Los Angeles Lakers as a studio analyst for Time Warner Cable's SportsNet, ESPN Deportes, and co-host of Access SportsNet. Worthy also serves as an NBA analyst for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles.
Akeem Olajuwon, Houston (1983)
Draft Selection: 1st Overall, 1984
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1984-2002
Accolades: 2x NBA Champion (1994, 1995), 2x NBA Finals MVP (1994, 1995), 1994 NBA MVP, 12x NBA All-Star (1985–1990, 1992–1997), 2x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994), NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
In one of the rare times that a player gets to play professionally in the same place that they played in college, Olajuwon has made the most of the opportunity. After two championships (one with former Phi Slamma Jamma teammate Clyde Drexler) and 12 All-Star appearances, "The Dream" retired and opened a big camp in Houston training young players and passing on some of his skills during the NBA offseason. Olajuwon has worked with the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Denver Nuggets big man JaVale McGee.
Patrick Ewing, Georgetown (1984)
Draft Selection: 1st Overall, 1985
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1985-2002
Accolades: 1985 NBA Rookie of the Year, 11x NBA All-Star (1986, 1988–1997), 1990 NBA First Team, NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
After a great college career, Patrick Ewing continued his dominance in the NBA becoming one of the greatest centers in NBA history. The Hall of Famer led the Knicks to a 1994 Finals appearance and were the biggest threat to Jordan's Bulls. After his playing career, Ewing went on to become an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic. Ewing can currently be found promoting the re-launch of his sneaker brand from the '90s and he has done some work as an analyst for the Knicks during the 2012-13 season.
Ed Pinckney, Villanova (1985)
Draft Selection: 10th Overall, 1985
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1985-1997
Accolades: N/A
After a mediocre 12-year tenure as a pro that included stops in Phoenix, Sacramento, Boston, Milwaukee, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Miami, Ed Pinckney worked as a sports commentator for the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. He is currently an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls after assistant coaching stints with his alma mater and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Pervis Ellison, Louisville (1986)
Draft Selection: 1st Overall, 1989
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1989-2001
Accolades: 1992 NBA Most Improved Player
"Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison went on to the NBA as the No. 1 pick in the 1989 NBA Draft after a sterling career at Louisville. In his third pro season, Ellison won the 1992 Most Improved Player award, but after that year Ellison's amount of success declined, due to multiple injuries. Boston Celtics fans couldn't have been happy with Ellison's lackluster and uninspiring play over a six-year contract. In his six seasons in Boston, he missed 267 games. After retiring in 2001, Ellison has become an AAU coach while living in New Jersey. Now that's inspiring.
Keith Smart, Indiana (1987)
Draft Selection: 41st Overall, 1988
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1988
Accolades: N/A
Keith Smart was only able to play two games in the NBA, but maintained a pro career for a considerable amount of time in the Philippine Basketball Association, World Basketball League, and the Continental Basketball Association. After his playing days were over, Smart became a coach. He had assistant coaching stints in the CBA, and with three NBA franchises (Golden State, Cleveland, Sacramento). At all three NBA stops Smart was eventually promoted to interim or permanent head coach. He's currently the head coach of the Sacramento Kings.
Danny Manning, Kansas (1988)
Draft Selection: 1st Overall, 1988
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1988-2003
Accolades: 1998 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 2x NBA All-Star, 2008 NCAA Champion as assistant coach
Immediately after retiring from the NBA in 2003, Danny Manning went into grooming other up-and-coming players as a team manager and director of student/athlete development at his alma mater, Kansas, under Bill Self. Towards the end of the Jayhawks' 2006-07 season, Manning was named an assistant coach where he excelled for six seasons as a recruiter and teacher. On April 4, 2012, Manning assumed the role of head coach for Tulsa, and while his first season ended in a mediocre 17-16 record, the above .500 record is nothing to scoff at.
Glen Rice, Michigan (1989)
Draft Selection: 4th Overall, 1989
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1989-2004
Accolades: 2000 NBA Champion, 3x NBA All-Star
In many cases, when players retire, they simply fade to black. But then there's the story of Glen Rice, who called it a career in 2004 only to get rushed back into the spotlight after a book by Joe McGinniss entitled, The Rogue: The Search for the Real Sarah Palin. In the book McGinniss claimed that Rice had a one-night stand with Palin during Thanksgiving weekend 1987 at her sister's dorm room at the University of Alaska-Anchorage while Rice was competing in the annual "Great Alaska Shootout." After the news surfaced, Rice didn't respond directly to the hype and instead, went with calling Palin "a sweetheart" and "respectful." These days, Rice went into the world of mixed martial arts and serves as the founder, president and head promoter for GForce Promotions.
Anderson Hunt, UNLV (1990)
Draft Selection: Undrafted
Length Of NBA Tenure: N/A
Accolades: N/A
Anderson Hunt left UNLV early to pursue his pro career, but ended up undrafted. He moved on to the Continental Basketball Association and also played professionally in Turkey, Poland, and France. Hunt experienced some legal trouble for marijuana possession and embezzlement during the '90s. Hunt currently lives in Detroit and works in real estate.
Christian Laettner, Duke (1991)
Draft Selection: 3rd Overall, 1992
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1992-2005
Accolades: 1997 NBA All-Star
After leaving the game of basketball in 2005, Christian Laettner joined former Duke teammate Brian Davis to take on a variety of failed ventures. After the court required Laettner and Davis to repay the loans they received from Scottie Pippen ($2.5 million) and Shawne Merriman ($3.8 million), they went on to assume operating rights to the MLS' DC United but sold their stake in 2009 to create a business that would convert warehouses into condos and real estate spaces.
Over time, their venture amassed a debt upwards of $30 million. So far, they've avoided any jail time for failing to repay those debts, however, that may not be the case for long. Oh, and did we forget to mention how these two attempted to buy the Grizzlies in 2006 but their $252 million bid fell through? Yeah, we wonder why.
Bobby Hurley, Duke (1992)
Draft Selection: 7th Overall, 1993
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1993-1998
Accolades: N/A
After calling it quits, Bobby Hurley went from the hardwood to the racetrack where he got involved in thoroughbred horse racing. In 2001, his steed Songandaprayer won the Fountain of Youth stakes. Eight years later, Hurley was sued for defaulting on a $1 million loan that was used to buy Songandaprayer. Now, just as recent as last week, Hurley was named the head coach for the University of Buffalo men's basketball team after bouncing around as an assistant coach for Wagner and Rhode Island since 2010.
Donald Williams, North Carolina (1993)
Draft Selection: Undrafted
Length Of NBA Tenure: N/A
Accolades: N/A
Following his departure from North Carolina, Donald Williams did some traveling...OK, a lot of traveling. Before he decided to finally call it quits, Williams played in Austria, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden, just to name a few. Eventually, Donald settled into a head coaching position for Saint Mary's School Varsity girls' basketball team in Raleigh, NC. After helping the team get their first championship in 2011, Williams went on to coach Northwood High School's Varsity boy's basketball team in Pittsboro, North Carolina.
Corliss Williamson, Arkansas (1994)
Draft Selection: 13th Overall, 1995
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1995-2007
Accolades: 2004 NBA Champion, 2002 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
Right after retiring from the NBA in 2007, Corliss Williamson became an assistant coach at JuCo Arkansas Baptist for two seasons before taking on the head coaching job in 2009. After one year, Williamson was on the move again and landed a head coaching position with the University of Central Arkansas in 2010. This past season, the Bears were a disappointing 13-17 but we're sure Corliss can turn them around because if there's one thing he knows, it is how to win.
Ed O'Bannon, UCLA (1995)
Draft Selection: 9th Overall, 1995
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1995-1997
Accolades: N/A
When he was done playing for 12 different teams in at least six countries and for 15 different coaches, Ed O'Bannon settled into a job as a salesman for a car dealership in 2006 before climbing the social ladder and becoming the manager of a Toyota dealership in Las Vegas. Then, in 2009, O'Bannon noticed an avatar in EA Sports March Madness game that he claims was created in his image. This discovery spawned one of the biggest cases the NCAA has ever encountered, regarding the payment of student athletes who bring in billions of dollars but do not see a dime, aside from their scholarship. Till this day, that lawsuit is still going on, but in the meantime, O'Bannon finished up his Bachelor's degree in history at UCLA.
Tony Delk, Kentucky (1996)
Draft Selection: 16th Overall, 1996
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1996-2006
Accolades: 2006-07 Greek Basketball Cup, 2006-07 Greek League Championship, 2006-07 European Championship
After an uneventful stint in the NBA, Tony Delk left the league to play overseas in Greece. In his only season with Panathinaikos, the team snatched up the Greek Cup, the Greek Championship, and the European Championship. But, out of nowhere, Delk was released in May 2007 and six months later, he announced his retirement from competitive basketball. The following year, Delk returned to the court for three games as a member of the Gigantes of Carolina in Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional League. In 2009, Delk returned to his alma mater to help with "managerial duties" for John Capilari's Wildcats. Then, in July 2011, Delk moved on to New Mexico where his title changed to assistant coach.
Miles Simon, Arizona (1997)
Draft Selection: 42nd Overall, 1998
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1998-1999
Accolades: CBA Newcomer of the Year, CBA MVP, CBA Playoff MVP
Miles Simon didn't see much success in the NBA, playing only one season with the Orlando Magic before heading to the Continental Basketball Association where he actually made a name for himself. During the 2001-02 season with the Dakota Wizards, Simon averaged 23 points and five assists per game and won the league's Most Valuable Player award, Newcomer of the Year, and Playoff MVP. In 2005, he went back to Arizona where he worked as an assistant coach under Lute Olsen until 2008. These days, Simon can be seen on ESPN as a college basketball analyst or in Las Vegas where he works as a real estate agent during the offseason.
Jeff Sheppard, Kentucky
Draft Selection: Undrafted
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1998-1999
Accolades: 2000 Italian Cup
Prior to retiring from basketball altogether, Jeff Sheppard struggled with deciding when to call it quits. While playing in Italy, the tragic events of September 11 occurred and Sheppard felt that it was time for him to leave the game and go back home to the States. When Sheppard returned, he went back to his old collegiate stomping grounds where he settled down with former Kentucky women's basketball player, Stacey Reed. Nowadays, he owns an apparel line called 15inc and serves as the vice president for business development with Wazoo Sports, a sports TV network which focuses on sports throughout the state of Kentucky.
Richard Hamilton, Connecticut (1999)
Draft Selection: 7th Overall, 1999
Length Of NBA Tenure: 1999-Present
Accolades: 2004 NBA Champion, 3x NBA All-Star
This past Valentine's Day, Richard Hamilton celebrated his 35th birthday. Currently in the last year of his three-year contract with the Chicago Bulls, Hamilton is starting to show the effects of father time. Averaging only 22 minutes and 10 points per game, Rip will have to decide if it's finally time to call it quits at the end of this season. But don't feel bad for him. He was a three-time All-Star, the first person to lead his team in scoring despite not making a single field goal and one of only 40 players to win an NBA and NCAA championship. Not a bad career, at all.