Vin Baker became a symbol of all that is right with basketball. From a small shoreline Connecticut town, he became known for playing basketball in 1992. He was drafted by the Bucks in 1993 and became an All-Star by his second year.
He later joined the Seattle SuperSonics and in his first year with his new team, they won 61 games. He eventually became a member of Team USA in 2000. He was also handpicked by Micheal Jordan to be an early endorser of his sneaker brand, according to the LA Times.
At the height of his career, he felt not only so important but invincible. He even became sensitive to criticism while holding himself to the standards of players such as Michael Jordan.
“So along with that, my first thought was, I guess the next progression is I can party and hang out like I want to. It’s the spoils,” he said. “I’m an All-Star now in another conference on the best team in basketball. And this is during the Jordan era. It was like, I made it. Along with that came the celebration. And I celebrated and celebrated and celebrated almost every day.”
He started to lose grip on everything that he has built. He became an alcoholic and would even drink Bacardi Limón from a water bottle in the locker room. Not even a transfer to Boston Celtics changed his new lifestyle. His addiction even grew strong and he graduated to drinking Listerine.
He was released by the Celtics and was given additional chances to reform. He had a stint in New York, one in Houston and one with the Clippers. A couple of bad investment decisions started draining his accounts after he left the NBA. Not only that, he got arrested for drink-driving and lost homes. He quit smoking but was soon back to drinking Bacardi 151.
“The rock bottom for me wasn’t necessarily knowing and understanding that I couldn’t get back in the league. It was more than that,” Baker said. “And I mean this wholeheartedly. I knew I felt abandoned by God.”
He soon discovered that he had lost everything — his money and fame. He soon became a burden on his family. According to the Los Angeles Times, he depleted more than $100 million in wages and endorsement money.
Baker turned his story around after reconnecting with his faith. He also worked on his alcohol addiction. A co-owner of SuperSonics, Howard Schultz, linked him to work at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. He made money on trips overseas to play in exhibition games.
He later found himself in a management trainee program, eventually opening and operating his own Starbucks location. He also got the opportunity to do some broadcasting work for the Milwaukee Bucks which landed him his assistant coach role with the Bucks.
He wants his story to serve as a guide and motivation to others. “I understand the addiction from every single level. I haven’t left, in my mind, all the bad things that happened. Like, I didn’t forget about it. Nor have I forgotten about four years ago when I was just putting on a green apron at Starbucks.
“I’m not that far in the clouds. I have an absolute responsibility to provide hope for people who aren’t in healthy situations when it comes to addiction. That precedes anything else in my life,” Baker explained to the LA Times.
Kimya Motley's near-fatal encounter with domestic abuse made her stronger and helped pave the way…
Dwyane Wade is a retired NBA player who at the peak of his career won…
What reaction do you put out when a child asks an unexpected question? That was…
Tyler Perry has signed a new deal with BET Media, Paramount’s media company. Per the…
Atedo Peterside is a Nigerian entrepreneur, businessman, banker and founder of one of Africa’s most…
The cheerleading squad of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has won the National…
Former Albany football standout Amitral "AJ" Simon, aged 25, has passed away abruptly, just days…
Ashanti has confirmed she is pregnant with Nelly. But, that is not the only good…
During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s Jim & Sam show, actor Giancarlo Esposito revealed that…
It appears Damian Lillard's ex-wife Kay'La caught wind of GloRilla shooting her shot at the…
Authorities in Los Angeles are investigating Kanye West for battery after he punched a man…
Disturbing footage from Rio de Janeiro has revealed a bizarre occasion where a Brazilian woman…
Beyoncé’s latest album is influencing almost every facet of the economy. Levi’s stock rose 20%…
Wahu Mobility, a producer of electric bikes, recently unveiled its first EV assembly plant in…
Naya Ellis' revolutionary idea is garnering headlines. Inspired by her family's experiences, Ellis, who is…