For Kenny Anderson, “easy come, easy go” has a a lot more profound meaning than it does for most individuals. Kenny Anderson retired from the NBA after playing for 14 years and earning about $ 60 million. The $ 60 million went fast and he couldn’t get a paycheck loan. The fact that one more professional athlete ended up broke after making millions isn’t really exactly news. But Kenny Anderson is making headlines today because he went back to school. With a degree in organizational leadership, is should graduate on Saturday.
The Kenny Anderson legend
Kenny Anderson left school for NBA millions after his sophomore season at Georgia Tech. Yahoo Sports reports that growing up in NYC Anderson was a huge basketball legend. He was the only player ever to be names all-city all four years of high school in New York. Kenny Anderson is nevertheless considered “the best high school player I’ve ever seen” by scouts who are watching basketball for 50 years. After a Final Four appearance his freshman year at Georgia Tech, he stayed in school one more season until he entered the 1991 NBA draft as the second overall pick.
Kenny Anderson’s career
After Kenny Anderson left school for the NBA, he promised his mother he would go back to school someday. The New York Times reports that Anderson bought his mother a home on Long Island after signing with the New Jersey Nets. Kenny Anderson’s career bounced around the NBA. USA Today reports that the top salary in Kenny Anderson’s career was $ 9.1 million while with Seattle in 2002-03. Anderson had seven kids with five women along the way. He retired from the NBA broke, with no job, and no college degree, when he was released from the Los Angeles Clippers in 2005.
Kenny Anderson and his promise
Although Kenny Anderson burned through 60 billion dollars, he saved 37 credits earned at Georgia Tech. From St. Thomas University in Miami, Kenny Anderson should graduate on Saturday. He enrolled in the online program at the Institute for Professional Studies at St. Thomas. Anderson took care of a nine year old son when not studying. Aspiring young players have also been coming to him recently to get private basketball lessons. Come Saturday, for the first time in his life, at age 39, he will be looking for a job.
Citations
Yahoo Sports reports
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Kenny-Anderson-graduates-this-weekend?urn=nba,240794
New York Times reports
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/sports/basketball/13vecsey.html?ref=sports
USA Today reports
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/05/kenny-anderson-to-graduate-after-wasting-63-million/1
