theGrio

Main menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Living
    • Health
  • Inspiration
    • Good News
  • Entertainment
    • Music
    • The Dish
  • News
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Black History

News

  • thanksgiving-travel-16x9.jpg

    Holiday safety tips

  • Meagan Good

    Good staying celibate

  • obama-and-choom-gang-16x9

    Obama's pot history

  • 2) I Am Legend (2007): In arguably one of his greatest dramatic performances, Smith held the screen virtually all by himself for most of this apocalyptic thriller's running time. He plays a military scientist who may or may not be the last man on the planet.  A scary good time at the movies.

    Will Smith's top 10 films

Kenny Anderson, after retiring broke, graduates Saturday

by theGrio | May 14, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Comments
Print

From Yahoo Sports!:

Being a New York City point guard is a pretty big deal. The long and storied lineage runs from old-timers like Bob Cousy all the way to guys like Stephon Marbury(notes) and Sebastian Telfair(notes). If you’re good at playing point in NYC, odds are you’ll become a legend throughout the city.

However, the biggest of all the big deals is probably Kenny Anderson, who is the only player in history to be named all-city all four years of high school and is called “the best high school player I’ve ever seen” by scouts who have been watching basketball for 50 years. After a Final Four and two years at Georgia Tech, Anderson hit the NBA as the second overall pick in the 1991 draft. And while his NBA career was nothing to write home about, he banked about $60 million.

Then, when his career came to a close in 2005, he was broke. Between cars, seven children with five women and loving to party, Anderson was without a job, money or a diploma. So he went back to school, and this Saturday he’ll be graduating with a degree in organizational leadership.

A neighbor told him about the Institute for Professional Studies at St. Thomas, so he enrolled for his online program by himself — without a cadre of helpers hovering over him. He began working with an adviser, Jennifer Booker, who is a professor.

“What surprised me,” Booker said, “was the way he was willing to give credit to people who helped him, like a former trainer.” She watched him handle the online classes, but from the other side of the electronic connection she could not gauge the terror of a star who had once performed in arenas and now had to produce a paper.

“I’d ask people for help,” Anderson said. “This wasn’t like college. They’d say, ‘I’ll give you an idea, but you have to do the work yourself.’” He almost quit a few times but found a comfortable routine, helping get Ken Jr. and his wife’s daughter, Tiana, also 9, off to school. Then he would take off to Starbucks and study.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Filed in: News | Related Topics: Basketball, Degree, Kenny Anderson, NBA, New Jersey Nets
  • Top Stories in News

    • Slideshow: The 15 best dunkers in NBA history Slideshow: The 15 best dunkers in NBA history
    • The noose makes a comeback The noose makes a comeback
    • Hidden WWII film could aid today’s vets Hidden WWII film could aid today’s vets
    • Serena Williams says sister Venus is ‘inspiring’ Serena Williams says sister Venus is ‘inspiring’
    • ‘Man with 30 kids’ actually has 24
    • Rape conviction overturned: Now what?
    • Marvin Winans’ license suspended when carjacked
    • DNA study seeks origin of Appalachia’s African-Americans
  • New Stories on theGrio

    • How Harry Truman desegregated the military How Harry Truman desegregated the military
    • How WWII vets helped lead the civil rights fight How WWII vets helped lead the civil rights fight
    • Rangel on black America’s truest heroes Rangel on black America’s truest heroes
    • Remembering America’s black war heroes Remembering America’s black war heroes
    • Beyoncé performs for first lady, Malia and Sasha
    • Rape conviction overturned: Now what?
    • Rap Genius: Top 5 rap lyrics of the week
    • Hidden WWII film could aid today’s vets
  • LIKE TheGrio

  • Hot on Facebook

  • Category Cloud

    Atlanta Black History Business Chicago Detroit Education Entertainment Health Inspiration Living Los Angeles Miami Money News New York Opinion Philadelphia Politics Reviews Service and Activism Slideshow Sports TheGrio's 100 TheGrio's 100 Women Top Stories Travel and Leisure Video Washington DC
  • More from theGrio

More Stories on theGrio

Top News

Politics

  • In this Jan. 23, 1942 black-and-white file photo, Major James A. Ellison, left, returns the salute of Mac Ross of Dayton, Ohio, as he inspects the cadets at the Basic and Advanced Flying School for Negro Air Corps Cadets at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Ala. Sixty years after President Truman desegregated the military, senior black officers are still rare, particularly among the highest ranks. (AP Photo/U.S. Army Signal Corps, File)

    Rangel on black America's truest heroes

  • Obama honors veterans during Memorial Day weekend

  • Woman claims she dressed like Obama for Berlusconi

  • Florida voters support 'Stand Your Ground' law

» Read More in Politics

Business

  • © olly - Fotolia.com

    Black Enterprise celebrates largest black companies

  • Facebook unveils Instagram rival

  • Donna Summer album sales up 3,277 percent

  • 5 resources for black entrepreneurs

» Read More in Business

Living

  • thanksgiving-travel-16x9.jpg

    Holiday safety tips

  • Good staying celibate

  • School to distribute condoms at prom

  • 'He tucks me in,' first lady says of president

» Read More in Living

Inspiration

  • 20120528-003600.jpg

    How Harry Truman desegregated the military

  • How WWII vets helped lead the civil rights fight

  • Remembering America's black war heroes

  • Tuskegee Airman grants b'day wish

» Read More in Inspiration

Entertainment

  • In this Friday May 25, 2012 photo provided by Parkwood Entertainment, Beyonce performs at Revel in Atlantic City, N.J., for the resort's premiere. (AP Photo/Parkwood Entertainment, Robin Harper)

    Beyoncé performs for first lady, Malia and Sasha

  • Rap Genius: Top 5 rap lyrics of the week

  • 50 Cent endorses marrige equality

  • Meet the breakout star of 'Battleship'

» Read More in Entertainment

News

  • This May 24, 2012 file photo shows Brian Banks reacting in court after his rape conviction was dismissed in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

    Rape conviction overturned: Now what?

  • Hidden WWII film could aid today's vets

  • Kyrie Irving poses as 'Uncle Drew' in new Pepsi ad

  • Backlash against African migrants in Israel

» Read More in News

Main menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Living
  • Inspiration
  • Entertainment
  • News
  • Help
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with TheGrio
  • About
©2010 NBCUniversal
Powered by WordPress.com VIP