NBA players quickly become celebrities when they make it to the league. The money they make leads to a number of avenues opening up for them. The best ignore the distractions and focus on improving their game to become all-time greats, but many others can get distracted by the glamor that an NBA lifestyle affords them.
NBA stars have a long history of being involved with several women. Since the 60s, there have been stories of Wilt Chamberlain and his legendary involvements with women. Dennis Rodman and Madonna are another that gets spoken about, and in the modern era, Kendall Jenner’s many rumored dalliances with players often take up the headlines.
Former Mavericks star Jim Jackson was in a famous love triangle of his own during the playing days, with a supposed beef occurring between him and teammate Jason Kidd for the affections of Toni Braxton. And Jackson spoke about players and how they are affected by all this in an interview with Colin Cowherd in 2015.
(starts at 2:53 minutes):
Colin Cowherd: “Did you know any guys in the NBA, that ruined their career chasing it?”
Jim Jackson: “Yeah, I won’t mention them, but it’s been guys that couldn’t let it go. Addicted to just going out and the nightlife.”
Colin Cowherd: “And the women.”
Jim Jackson: “It’s hard, Kristine, and Colin, for a young player. Depending on your circumstances and where you come from. Got a lot of money, got a lot of fame all of a sudden, especially with basketball… If you’re tall, athletic looking, you go to some of these cities, I don’t care what city, Utah, Portland, it doesn’t matter, you stand out.”
Former NBA champion John Salley recently spoke about how the women that would be around were the best thing about the Summer League back in the day. These opportunities to get involved with beautiful women are certainly plenty for NBA athletes; it’s about how much they can stay away from it. Certainly, everyone is free to live their lives as they see fit, but making it to the top does require a level of single-minded determination that doesn’t leave much time for partying and other such activities.
