If you were around arcades throughout the 1990s, at one point in time you probably stumbled across at least one machine running NBA Jam, Midway’s fast-paced, ridiculously addictive 2-on-2 take on the NBA. There were almost no rules, players could leap and dunk from superhuman heights, and sometimes the ball itself would even catch fire. And who could forget the announcer and his crazy catchphrases? “Boomshakalaka!” If you go back and play the 1993 arcade version of NBA Jam, its roster might leave you scratching your head. You’ll see such 90s stars and as Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and Charles Barkley, but amidst the heap of legends you’ll also see players whose names and faces are all but unrecognizable in today’s world of sports. I’ve scoured Wikipedia and its sources to discover exactly what these men are up to today and even when they retired and what they were known for throughout their illustrious careers. They were, after all, chosen in pairs of two to represent entire NBA teams for a reason.
Wilkins, known as “The Human Highlight Film” for his extraordinary dunking ability, retired from the NBA in 1999 following a successful stint in Europe and a season with the Orlando Magic. He currently serves as the Vice President of Basketball for the Atlanta Hawks.
Augmon, who earned the nickname “Plastic Man” for his ability to stretch, retired from the NBA in 2006 following two seasons with the Orlando Magic and is currently an assistant coach for his alma mater, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, under Dave Rice.
Reggie Lewis and Kevin McHale
At an off-season practice in July of 1993, months after the arcade game’s release,Lewis went into cardiac arrest and tragically passed away at the age of 27.
McHale, who was originally part of the Celtics’ “Big Three” trio alongside Larry Bird and Robert Parish and saw five NBA Finals appearances and three championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986, retired from the NBA in 1993, capping off an entire career with the Boston Celtics which began in 1980. Most recently, in 2010, he was part of NBA TV’s Fan Night broadcasts and called games during the Las Vegas Summer League.
Larry Johnson and Kendall Gill
Johnson, an NBA All-Star in 1993 and 1995, retired in 2001 due to chronic back problems that had decreased his point production for three straight years. He ended his career following five seasons with the New York Knicks. He was hired earlier this year by the very same organization as a basketball and business operations representative.
Gill retired from the NBA in 2005 following a season with the Milwaukee Bucks and took up boxing almost immediately afterwards — a profession he didn’t stick with for long. Today, he does pre and postgame shows on CSN Chicago for every Chicago Bulls game and is occasionally on NBA TV as a guest analyst.
Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant
Pippen, a six-time NBA Champion, seven-time NBA All Star, and alongside Michael Jordan responsible for helping make the NBA and Chicago Bulls massively popular throughout the 1990s, retired from the NBA in 2004 following one season with the Bulls — the same team he played for from 1987 to 1998. In 2008 he made a comeback and played a few games for the Finnish league Torpan Pojat and Swedish league Sundsvall Dragons. He returned to the Chicago Bulls in July of 2010 as a team ambassador and holds the position even today.
Grant, a four-time NBA Champion and NBA All Star in 1994 and identifiable by his signature goggles, retired in 2004 following a season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Since his retirement, Grant, aside from the occasional interview, has kept things under wraps and has not been involved with the NBA.
Mark Price and Brad Daugherty
Price, a four-time NBA All-Star and known as one of the league’s most consistent shooters, retired from the NBA in 1998 following a season with the Orlando Magic. Ever since, he’s been a coach from the high school level all the way up to the NBA. Today he serves as a player development coach for the Orlando Magic, the same team he spent his last season playing for.
Daugherty, a five-time NBA All-Star, had his career cut short at the age of 28 by recurring back problems. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers his entire career which began in 1986 and retired following the organization’s 1995-96 season. Ever since his retirement he’s been actively involved with NASCAR. At one point he co-owned a team featuring drivers such as Kevin Harvick and today he’s on the weekly shows Inside NASCAR and NASCAR Now and is part owner of JTG Daugherty Racing.
Derek Harper and Mike Iuzzolino
Harper retired in 1999 following one season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Today he is an analyst for the Dallas Mavericks and, since 2005, has been a sports anchor at KTXA, a former CBS-operated station.
Iuzzolino played in the NBA for just two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, then went on to play professionally from 1993 to 2003 for the Continental Basketball Association in the United States and teams based out of Italy, Greece, and Spain. He moved back to the United States and is currently an assistant coach at Saint Vincent College.
Dikembe Mutombo and LaPhonso Ellis
Mutombo, one of the best post defenders of all time and nicknamed “Mt. Mutombo” for his height, power, and long arms, retired in 2009 following several seasons with the Houston Rockets. At the time of his retirement, he was the oldest player in the NBA. Today he serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution. He is also a well known humanitarian and even started a foundation to improve living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ellis retired in 2003 following one season with the Miami Heat. Most recently, in 2009 he became a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer
Thomas, nicknamed “Zeke”, was a two-time NBA Champion, twelve-time NBA All-Star, and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He retired in 1994 following a lengthy career which began in 1981 and was spent entirely with the Detroit Pistons. Following his retirement, he stayed active with the NBA and even coached the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks for several seasons. Most recently he coached the NCAA’s FIU Golden Panthers but was dismissed earlier this year following three disappointing seasons.
Laimbeer, a two-time NBA Champion, four-time NBA All-Star, and known for his physical play, retired in 1993 following 12 seasons with the Detroit Pistons. Laimbeer was so notorious for his physicality, he inspired and endorsed a video game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System called Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball. Years after his retirement he coached in the WNBA and most recently became an assistant coach for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.
Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin
Hardaway, who was one of the NBA’s best point guards and known for his devastating crossover dribble, retired in 2003 following one season with the Indiana Pacers. Most recently, in 2006, he was both a player and coach for the Continental Basketball Association’s now-defunct Florida Pit Bulls.
Mullin, a five-time NBA All-Star, retired in 2001 following one season with the Golden State Warriors, the same organization he played for from the beginning of his NBA career in 1985 to 1997. He is currently an NBA analyst for ESPN and had his number retired by the Golden State Warriors earlier this year.
Hakeem Olajuwon and Kenny Smith
Olajuwon, a two-time NBA Champion and arguably one of the greatest centers of all time, retired in 2002 following one season with the Toronto Raptors. Most recently he has been tutoring such current NBA stars as Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Lebron James by improving their post moves and mental focus. Olajuwon also opened his own camp in 2006 where even today he teaches young, upcoming players how to play better in the post.
Smith, a two-time NBA Champion, retired in 1997 following one season with the Denver Nuggets. Today he serves as a basketball analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf
Miller, a five-time NBA All-Star and nicknamed “Knick Killer” for his precise three-point shooting in clutch situations versus the New York Knicks, retired in 2005 following a long career with the Indiana Pacers which began in 1987. Today, Miller is a commentator for TNT and also hosts Reggie’s Mailbag in which he answers questions from fans.
Shcrempf, a three-time NBA All-Star, retired in 2001 following a couple seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. He established a foundation in 1996 to benefit local charities and every summer it hosts the Detlef Schrempf Celebrity Golf Classic in Port Orchard, Washington. Today, Schrempf is the director of business development at Coldstream Capital, a wealth management firm in Seattle.
Danny Manning and Ron Harper
Manning, a two-time NBA All-Star and the first NBA player to return following reconstructive surgeries on both knees, retired in 2003 following one season with the Detroit Pistons. Following his retirement he became an assistant coach at the University of Kansas and just earlier this year he was announced as head coach for the University of Tusla.
Harper, a five-time NBA Champion one of only three people to ever win consecutive NBA Championships on two different teams, retired in 2001 following a couple championship seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. Most recently, in 2005 he was an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons until 2007.
James Worthy and Vlade Divac
Worthy, a three-time NBA Champion, seven-time NBA All-Star, and nicknamed “Big Game James,” retired in 1994 following a lengthy career with the Los Angeles Lakers which began in 1982. Most recently, as of the 2009-10 NBA Season Worthy became the co-host of LTV, a pre and postgame show for the Los Angeles Lakers. He also serves as an analyst for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles and is the CEO of Worthy Enterprises in which he assists companies with sales and marketing, fundraising, and more.
Divac, a one-time NBA All-Star and the only NBA player born and trained outside the U.S. to play in over 1,000 NBA games, retired in 2005 following one season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Today, Divac is a humanitarian worker and has focused on aiding children worldwide and refugees in his home country of Serbia. He was also elected as the President of the Serbian Olympic Committee for a four year term in 2009.
Glen Rice and Rony Seikaly
Rice, a one-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA All-Star, and ranked 11th in NBA history for his three-point shooting, retired in 2004 following one season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Since his retirement, Rice has led a mostly private life and hasn’t been actively involved with the NBA.
Seikaly, nicknamed “The Spin Doctor” for his trademark spin moves and one of the best centers of his time, retired from the NBA in 1999 following one season with the New Jersey Nets. Immediately after leaving the NBA, he spent one season playing for FC Barcelona in Spain before retiring from the game all-together. Today, Seikaly owns a multi-million dollar investment company and hosts the annual Rony Seikaly Golf Tournament every year for cystic fibrosis.
Brad Lohaus and Blue Edwards
Lohaus retired in 1998 following one season with the San Antonio Spurs. Throughout his lengthy NBA career, he played for eight different teams. Today, he is a midwest scout for the San Antonio Spurs and a broker for commercial airplanes.
Edwards retired from the NBA in 1999 following one season with the Miami Heat, then traveled to Greece to play for Olympiakos and Dafni until his retirement from professional basketball in 2001. Although he hasn’t been active with the NBA since his retirement, Edwards was involved in a highly publicized child custody case in Canada throughout the 2000s. Most recently, in 2009, a television movie based on the case was produced and aired by the Canadian Television Network.
Christian Laettner and Chuck Person
Laettner, the only college player selected for 1992’s Olympic “Dream Team” and a one-time NBA All-Star, retired from the NBA in 2005 following one season with the Miami Heat. A few years after his retirement, he played for the American Basketball Association’s Jacksonville Giants during the 2011-12 season. Most recently, Laettner became an assistant coach for the NBA Development League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Person, nicknamed “The Rifleman” for his excellent long-range shooting, retired from the NBA in 2000 following one season with the Seattle SuperSonics. Today, he is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Derrick Coleman and Dražen Petrović
Coleman, a one-time NBA All-Star, retired in 2005 following one season with the Detroit Pistons. A couple years after his retirement, he became an entrepreneur in Detroit. In 2010, however, Coleman declared bankruptcy and is approximately millions of dollars in debt. He is currently a studio analyst for NBA TV’s NBA Gametime Live.
Petrović was killed in a tragic car accident in 1993 at the age of 28 just months after the arcade game’s release. He is considered to be largely responsible for the influx of European players into the NBA. A museum named “The Dražen Petrović Memorial Center” was founded in his honor and opened in 2006. It is also said that Petrović’s spirit haunts the arcade game because there is a bug that causes the announcer to randomly call out his last name.
Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley
Ewing, an 11-time NBA All-Star and selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, retired in 2002 following one season with the Orlando Magic. Since 2007 he has served as an assistant coach for the same organization with which he spent his last season playing, the Orlando Magic.
Oakley, who ranks 14th all-time in NBA games played, retired in 2004 following one season with the Houston Rockets. Although he considered a return to the NBA in 2007 at the age of 44, it never came to fruition. Most recently, he was hired as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010 but resigned the following year due to back pain.
Shaquille O’Neal and Scott Skiles
O’Neal, nicknamed “Shaq,” was a four-time NBA Champion, 15-time NBA All-Star, and one of the heaviest, strongest players ever to play in the NBA. He retired in 2011 following one season with the Boston Celtics. Although O’Neal is most known for his NBA prowess, he’s also been involved with music, acting, and even mixed martial arts. Today, he serves as an NBA analyst on TNT.
Skiles, who holds the current NBA record for assists in one game, retired from the NBA in 1996 following one season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He spent the next couple years playing and coaching for Greece’s PAOK Thessaloniki. Since 1999, he’s served as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns and head coach for the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. He has coached Milwaukee since 2008.
Hersey Hawkins and Jeff Hornacek
Hawkins, a one-time NBA All-Star known for his stealing skills and outside shooting, retired in 2001 following one season with the Charlotte Hornets. Today, he serves as the player development director for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Hornacek, one of the best free throw shooters in the NBA, retired in 2000 following six seasons with the Utah Jazz. Last year he became an assistant coach for the Jazz.
Charles Barkley and Dan Majerle
Barkley, an 11-time NBA All-Star and one of the league’s most dominant power forwards, retired in 2000 following four seasons with the Houston Rockets. Since his retirement, he’s become a successful television NBA analyst and has been involved with both gambling and politics. He is currently an NBA analyst on TNT.
Majerle, a three-time NBA All-Star nicknamed “Downtown Dan,” “Thunder Dan,” and “Dan the Man,” for his powerful dunks, retired in 2002 following one season with the Phoenix Suns, the same organization he played for from his NBA debut in 1988 to 1995. Today, he is an assistant coach for the Suns and owns three sports grill restaurants.
Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter
Drexler, a one-time NBA Champion, 10-time NBA All-Star, and nicknamed “The Glide” for his extraordinary leaping abilities, retired in 1998 following several seasons with the Houston Rockets. Immediately after retiring, he became the head coach at the University of Houston for two seasons. Most recently, Drexler participated on the television show Dancing with the Stars in 2007 and appeared on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice in 2010.
Porter, a two-time NBA All-Star who holds the NBA Finals single-game record for the most consecutive free throws made, retired in 2002 following three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Since his retirement, Porter has helped coach numerous teams in the NBA both as an assistant and head coach. Today, he is an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Wayman Tisdale and Spud Webb
Tisdale, who along with Mitch “The Rock” Richmond formed one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, retired in 1997 following several seasons with the Phoenix Suns. Following his retirement, he launched a successful music career. In 2009, Tisdale sadly passed away at the age of 44 following a two-year battle with cancer.
Webb, who won an NBA Slam Dunk Contest despite being one of the shortest players in history, retired in 1998 following seasons with the Orlando Magic and the Continental Basketball Association’s Idaho Stampede. Most recently, in 2010, he was a judge for the Slam Dunk Contest.
David Robinson and Sean Elliott
Robinson, a two-time NBA Champion nicknamed “The Admiral” for his service in the Navy, retired in 2003 following a long career spent with the San Antonio Spurs which began in 1989. He’s also known for his charitable work, which began even early in his career. Most recently, in 2008, Robinson and a partner formed Admiral Capital Group, a private equity whose mission is to invest in opportunities that provide financial and social returns.
Elliott, a one-time NBA Champion, two-time NBA All-Star, and who was responsible for a 21-foot game-winning shot known as the “Memorial Day Miracle” in the 1999 Western Conference Finals, retired in 2001 following eight seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Most recently, in 2004, he became the color commentator for the Spurs’ local broadcasting.
Shawn Kemp and Benoit Benjamin
Kemp, a six-time NBA All-Star, retired in 2003 following one season with the Orlando Magic. Although he contemplated a comeback in 2005, it never came to fruition. In 2008, he signed a contract with the Premiata Montegranaro of the Italian League but decided to part ways after playing just three preseason games. Most recently, in 2009, Kemp was featured on the television show Pros vs. Joes.
Benjamin, who played for nine NBA teams in 15 seasons and is the career leader in blocked shots and blocked shots per game for the Los Angeles Clippers, retired from the NBA in 1999 following one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2000 and 2001, he played for the American Basketball Association’s Detroit Wheels and Lebanon’s own Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, respectively. Since then, he hasn’t been active with the NBA or professional basketball and has lived a relatively private life.
Karl Malone and John Stockton
Malone, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, 14-time NBA All-Star, and considered one of the greatest NBA power forwards with the second most career points in history, retired in 2004 following one season with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2007, he became an assistant strength and conditioning coach for his alma mater Louisiana Tech University and remained there until 2011.
Stockton, a 10-time NBA All-Star regarded as one of the best point guards of all time and who holds records for the most career assists and steals, retired in 2003 following an entire career with the Utah Jazz which began in 1984. Most recently, in 2009, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tom Gugliotta and Harvey Grant
Gugliotta, a one-time NBA All-Star who played for seven different teams over a span of 13 years, retired in 2005 following one season with the Atlanta Hawks. Most recently, earlier this year, he was involved in a widely publicized incident in which he and another former North Carolina State star were ejected from a Wolfpack home game for unknown reasons.
Grant, who began his career in the NBA with the Washington Bullets in 1988, retired in 1999 following one season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Today, he is an assistant coach for Hampton University.