Mark Blount – Auntie Anne’s Franchisee and Real Estate Mogul
Mark Blount joined the NBA in 1997 and finally made his long-awaited debut with the Boston Celtics in 2001. After 8 years, he decided to retire in 2009. During his retirement, he invested his money in Auntie Anne’s Pretzel franchises.
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However, he isn’t the only former NBA star who is a fan of Auntie Anne’s. After being a franchise owner for four years, he sold his stores to venture into real estate. In the end, his $700,000 investment earned him $2 million.
Dan Dickau- Barbershop Owner and ESPN Broadcaster
Dan Dickau is considered a Gonzaga University legend because he was one of the best basketball players. If only he had that same luck when he joined NBA! Six years after he began his career there, it came to a stop and he had to find something else to do.
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So, to support himself, Dickau opened The Barbers in Washington. This barbershop has become one of the neighbourhood’s favourites since it first opened. Apart from his barbershop, he also does work for ESP and the Pac-12 Network.
Greg Oden- Sports Adviser
The Portland Trailblazers chose Greg Oden in 2007, hoping they finally had a new face to their franchise. Sadly, that wasn’t quite the case. Thanks to an injury-riddled career, Oden only played roughly 23 games once and ended his basketball career with chronic foot problems.
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When his basketball career ended, he worked as the student manager of the men’s basketball team at Ohio State so he could go back to school and attend classes. He then graduated in 2019 with a degree in sports industry and went on to work as the athlete adviser for Edyoucore Sports and Entertainment.
Adrian Dantley- Crossing Guard
We’re going to be honest and say this one really surprised us. Adrian Dantley was in the NBA for 15 years and scored a total of 230,000 throughout his career. It was because of this that he was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. But then, Dantley retired and became a crossing guard instead.
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Rumour has it that Dantley only earns $14,000 a year, so obviously, this career choice wasn’t because of the money. According to Dantley himself, he likes helping other people. During his spare time, though, he sometimes works as a referee for high school and recreational teams.
Detlef Schrempf- Business Development Officer
Detlef Schrempf majored in International Business while he was in college. Then, when his long NBA career came to a halt, he took advantage of his degree by signing up for Coldstream Capital Management as their business development officer.
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Aside from his day job, Schrempf has also experimented with acting. He had a recurring role in Parks and Recreation for some time. We were surprised to see that he looked very comfortable in front of the camera.
Brandon Roy-High School Basketball Coach
A lot of basketball analysts believe Brandon Roy was so close to earning a spot at the NBA Hall of Fame when the kee injuries suddenly thwarted his future. His knee never quite recovered, and he was forced to retire young. He also tried out broadcasting, but he realized that wasn’t the career for him, too.
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In 2016, he took up a job as the head boys basketball coach at Nathan High School. During his first season as coach, the team had a perfect 29-0. Thus, he was given the Naismith High School Basketball Coach of The Year Award. He’s been the head basketball coach at Garfield High School for about 5 years now.
Bryant Reeves-Cattle Farmer
After six seasons, Bryant Reeves decided to make his exit from the NBA. The injuries were too much for him to handle. Instead, he chose to lead a quiet life of being a cattle farmer. He might not have had the basketball glory, but at least he enjoys the life he’s living now.
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At present, Reeves owns and operates a 300-acre cattle ranch in Oklahoma. His former NBA nickname, “Big Country” seems very fitting to his life now. Some kids dream of becoming cowboys, while others dream of becoming basketball players. Reeves managed to do both.
Scottie Pippen- Livestock Farmer
Scottie Pippen had a hard time accepting his retirement. After all, he was one of the greatest Chicago Bulls players of all time. When he retired in 2004, he instantly regretted his decision and spent the next few years trying to make a comeback.
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Once it finally sunk in that he couldn’t return to his basketball career, he found a second career with his sibling. Together, the siblings co-own a livestock farm somewhere in Arkansas. He does make TV appearances from time to time, though.
Charlie Ward- Head Coach
Charlie Ward was awarded the Heisman Trophy for playing football at Florida State, but he, sadly, was not drafted by the NFL so he turned to the NBA instead. In total, Ward played 11 seasons with most of them with the New York Knicks. When he finally retired in 2005, he turned to coaching instead.
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He didn’t go to University or professional coaching. Instead, he chose smaller jobs at a high school level. He became Booker T. Washington High School’s coach in 2005. However, since 2018, he’s been the head basketball coach for Florida State University’s Developmental Research School.
Karl Malone- Truck Driver
During his legendary career with the NBA, he earned enough to never having to work 5 days a week. But don’t tell him that because he invested his money into several businesses. Actually, he also works part-time as a truck driver!
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One of the companies Malone has exhausted all her money to is a timber hauler. His deep interest in the company had nothing to do with funds. Instead, it was merely for business and pleasure. Malone drives the company’s truck part-time and has become passionate about the industry it concerns.
Vinnie Johnson-CEO of Manufacturing Company
A lot of NBA fans fondly remember Vinnie Johnson as one of the “Bad Boys” of the NBA. He was playing for the Detroit Pistons when he won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990. In 1992, he retired and discovered his true calling.
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He founded Piston Group, a small manufacturing company that has now become a multi-million dollar asset. Johnson is still very much the CEO of the company and has proven that he’s good both in and out of the court.
Shawn Kemp- Sports Bar Owner
Kemp experienced nothing but success during his 14 years in the NBA. He was named a six-time all-star and was also named All-NBA Second Team three times. When he retired in 2003, he opened Oscar’s Kitchen in Seattle to celebrate his love of the game.
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The sports bar was a daring move for this former star. He tried running the business for as long as he could, but he eventually had to close the bar in 2015. At present, Kemp still works in hospitality as co-owner of Amber’s Kitchen.
Darko Milicic- Apple Grower
Darko Milicic likes to think of himself as the biggest NBA Draft bust of all time. He jumped around from one team to another until he finally called it quits with the Boston Celtics in 2012. Currently, he leads a quiet life as an apple grower in Serbia.
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Before Milicic settled into this quiet life, he first tried out becoming a kickboxer in Serbia. Sadly, he did not find the violent sport too interesting as he prefers to wander up and down the countless rows of apple trees on his 125-acre farm.
Oscar Robertson- Affordable Housing Advocate
Oscar Robertson was an NBA legend back in the day. He was named an all-star 12 times, and when he retired, he was on the NBA league’s highest-scoring guards ever. And yet his biggest accomplishment is fighting for affordable housing for African Americans in Indianapolis.
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For all the work he’s done for the community, the University of Cincinnati awarded Robertson with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2007. When he has some free time on his hands, he also likes woodworking.
Vin Baker- Starbucks Manager
Vin Baker was part of the NBA for 13 years. Unfortunately, he lost his wealth in retirement because he had a hard time adjusting to this shift. Today, he is a Starbucks manager and is also a minister at his father’s church.
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Baker knows how it must look like to other people that he’s working at Starbucks. According to him, “I lost a fortune. I had a great talent and lost it. For the people on the outside looking in, they’re like, ‘Wow.’ For me, I’m 43 and I have four kids. I have to pick up the pieces.” In 2019, Baker was hired as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tim Duncan- MMA/Coach
This is one of the strangest ones on our list, but who are we to judge anyway? Ever since this San Antonio Spurs star retired, he trained as an MMA fighter. Currently, the training he does is nothing but a hobby. His coach thinks otherwise, though, and says he is “a monster” and “a legit contender.”
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As he waits for his MMA career to kick off, he keeps himself busy by running Black Jack Speed Shop, an auto body shop he opened up back in 2013. When Hurricane Harvey struck, his shop helped organize the delivery of supplies to the victims. Duncan returned in 2019 to be the assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs.
Michael Ray Richardson- Substitute Teacher
Michael “Sugar” Ray Richardson was a professional basketball player for 24 years. He started his basketball career in the NBA but it was cut short in 1986 when he was banned for life by the commissioner. Richardson then continued to play in many countries around the world and even spent 14 years in Europe.
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When he finally retired in 2002, he worked as a coach for many years until he finally found his calling; as a substitute teacher. He’s now in his 60s but still works as a teacher in Oklahoma. Additionally, he runs a youth camp for underprivileged kids.
Derrick Coleman- Water Supplier
Although Derrick Coleman was with the NBA for 15 years, his coaches called him lazy. But they can’t really say that about his life now post-NBA, since he works tirelessly to bring water to families in need.
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He currently spends most of his days in Flint, Michigan, making sure families have access to clean drinking water. Coleman says, “That’s what I’m seeing. Distress. I’m seeing people who need help. I’ve seen the rust and everything that’s in their water. Flint is like a ghost town, and it’s sad… How can this happen here in America?”
Steven Francis-Entrepreneur
After having nine seasons to his name, Steven Francis said goodbye to his career to pursue other projects he was passionate about. For example, he tried out music, which eventually led to the birth of Mazerati Music.
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Sadly, Mazerati Music was forgettable at best, but Francis did not stop. He then tried starting his own clothing line, We r One. Unfortunately, all of his projects are being held off as he sorts through some financial issues.
Dennis Rodman- Political Ambassador
He may have retired, but that doesn’t mean he’s stayed away from the limelight. This NBA icon with his high-spirited personality loves the attention. So far, he hasn’t taken a 9-5 job like most of the people on this list, but his retirement career is too odd to not include.
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After his NBA career, he tried out professional wrestling. When he couldn’t do that anymore, Rodman became a political ambassador and made his first trip to North Korea in 2013. Upon his return, he said Kim Jong Un was a “friend for life.” He then returned to North Korea in 2017.
Latrell Sprewell- Pitchman
Latrell Sprewell has always had some controversy surrounding his name. Although he was a superstar basketball career, he sabotaged his own career when he violently attacked Golden State Warriors head coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997. After he retired in 2005, karma found its way back to him when he had no choice but to foreclose his multi-million dollar houses and crashed his yacht.
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After all that controversy, Sprewell began a new life by working as a pitchman for Priceline. As part of his pitch to use the service, Sprewell confesses that he hadn’t made the right life choices. We just hope he actually learned his lesson.
Gilbert Arenas- Analyst
Nobody expected Gilbert Arenas to be as great as he was. He was drafted with the 31st pick in the 2001 Draft. Arenas went on to earn roughly $163 million over his career. We expected him to not quit working after his career, but we were wrong.
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We guess Arenas likes the grind too much to ever give up working. Although he’s not working a 9-5 job, he does work for Complex as a sports analyst. At present, he hosts a Youtube sports show for the company.
Kenny Anderson- Camp Director
During his retirement, Kenny Anderson lived a comfortable life as a high school basketball coach before it came crashing down. Things took a turn when he was arrested and charged with a DUI in 2013. This arrest got him fired.
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It took Anderson some time to get back on his feet, but these days he makes a living by running basketball camps in Florida. He still coaches from time to time as he works in the basketball travel league. His main goal is to get back into coaching, but he knows it’ll take some time before he can build his reputation.
Jay Williams- Spokesman
Jay Williams was supposed to be one of the best players to grace the NBA court. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and was hyped up by many. Sadly, he was involved in a motorcycle accident even before his career began. The Bulls removed him from the team, and he said goodbye to his career.
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It may have taken him some time, but he has now overcome the loss of his career. At present, he is a spokesman and is the face of Visions Federal Credit Union. He also works as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
Antoine Walker- Financial Advisor
Thanks to 13 successful seasons with the NBA, Antoine Walker earned a ton of money. To be more exact, he earned more than $100 million. Yet, for some reason, he still managed to spend more than what he had and go bankrupt in 2010.
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In 2013, Walker managed to pay off his debts and started his second career. He started working for Morgan Stanley Global Sports and Entertainment to teach rising stars financial literacy. Who would be a better teacher than the man who had to learn this firsthand?
Adam Morrison- Coach
Adam Morrison had a promising career in the NBA, but it was sadly put on hold when his ACL got torn back in 2007. He might have recovered from it, but he could never play as he could back then. When he retired, he decided to go back to school.
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Morrison enrolled at Gonzaga University to get a degree in sports management. Aside from that, he also took a job with the basketball team’s coaching staff. Ever since he joined the Zags, he’s been slowly making his way back to the top.
Rony Seikaly- DJ
Rony Seikaly experienced lots of success during his 11 years with NBA. When he retired, he tried out a different path and tried out DJ-ing. Unlike former basketball stars who failed to find their feet after retirement, Seikaly was naturally good at being a DJ.
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Since he started his career, he has played in clubs in Las Vegas, Miami, New York, and even Ibiza. He says it was never his plan to become a full-time DJ, but “the opportunity came organically and it seemed like it would be fun and it grew from there.”
John Stockton- Basketball Coach
During his time with the NBA, John Stockton was recognized as one half of the dynamic duo with Karl Malone. People loved him for his unselfish outlook as he was always willing to part an assist instead of scoring the basket for himself.
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After he retired in 2003, although he may have said goodbye to professional basketball playing, he didn’t entirely give up the sport. He was an assistant coach for the Montana State University Women’s Basketball Team and also coached several youth basketball teams.
Bill Walton- Sports Broadcaster
Bill Walton kickstarted his basketball career playing for the UCLA Bruins in the 70s. During his time with the team, they won two national titles. When he finished school, he was recruited into the NBA and played for the Portland Trailblazers winning MVP and two NBA championships.
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When he retired in 1987, he brought his stuttering problem under control and went on to have a successful career as an NBA commentator for CBS, NBC, the Los Angeles Clippers, and ABC/ESPN. After a quick break in broadcasting, he came back and started sports broadcasting full-time.
Michael Jordan- Entrepreneur
Michael Jordan is named one of the greatest basketball players of all time. When he retired in 2003, he had earned so much for the Chicago Bulls that he had no need for more money! When he was in the NBA, he had cashed in an estimated total of $90 million. Currently, he has a net worth of $1.6 billion.
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While he could’ve just decided to enjoy the rest of his days without working, he never stopped grinding. Jordan now owns the Charlotte Hornets. Aside from that, he also has partnerships with Hanes, Gatorade, and other huge companies. To top it off, Jordan owns a car dealership and seven restaurants.
Hakeem Olajuwon- Real Estate Dealer
Between 1984 and 2002, Hakeem Olajuwon played for both the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors and faced back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995. Olajuwon is also famous for mentoring some of the best players of today like Lebron James and Dwight Howard.
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Although Olajuwon made some good investments before and after retiring from the NBA, he knew that there was a way he could use his money wisely. so, he decided to venture into real estate. Now, he makes a living by being a real estate dealer.
Shawn Bradley- Rancher
During his time in the league, Shawn Bradley was one of the tallest players to grace the NBA court. While he started his career playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, he eventually transferred and started playing New Jersey Nets.
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However, Bradley spent a huge part of his career with the Dallas Mavericks. After his retirement, aside from appearing in Space Jam, he also decided to put his talents to good use and bought a massive cattle ranch.
Tom Chambers- Sports Broadcaster
Did you know that Tom Chambers is the only player who scored 20,000 through his NBA career and is eligible for the Hall of Fame but isn’t. Chambers had an impressive track record in the NBA with four All-Stars and a 16-year career with six different teams.
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He now enjoys his retirement working for Fox Sports Arizona as a broadcaster where he covers the Phoenix Suns. Surprisingly, he is also a horse breeder in Utah, but Chambers thinks of that as more like a hobby and less like an actual job.
Kevin Garnett- Actor
You’d think Kevin Garnett would slow down when he retired, but no, he’s still on the go. Aside from his broadcasting gigs on TNT, he’s also tried out Hollywood. The last film he starred in was Uncut Gems, where he played himself.
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We are curious to see what Garnett wants to do during his retirement. It’s rather clear now that he has no intentions of settling into a quiet and private life, so we wonder if he’ll pursue acting or just do something else entirely.
Steve Nash- Consultant
After Steve Nash retired from his successful NBA career, he only had one goal in mind—live a more quiet life. However, no matter how quiet and private he tried to be, his love for basketball brought him right back in. So, he turned to consulting.
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He’s consulted a handful of teams already, such as the Golden State Warriors. However, in 2020, he came to a realization. He loved basketball too much to stay off the court. So, he’s been scouring for head coach jobs, where he eventually landed the gig with the Brooklyn Nets.