The story of Antoine Walker is not a pretty one. Walker is 35, slumming it in the D-League, and still hoping for another chance to play in the NBA. He made over $108 million during his playing career, but he blew it on bad investments, gambling, and being too benevolent. He filed for bankruptcy two years ago. He began playing in the D-League in 2010, and suffered the embarrassment of being served child support papers while partying in a club last year.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Ballard spent a few days with Walker recently and chronicled Toine’s daily life in the D-League. Ballard paints a sad picture of a man who’s experienced the cliched fall from grace, a three-time All-Star who’s now making less than $25,000 playing for the Idaho Stampede. Walker lives with a roommate, has no car, and subsides on his $40 per diem from the team. Even he has trouble believing how far he’s fallen.
“Believe me, I’ve had many a day where I just look at myself in the mirror, like, Damn, how you get into this situation?” Walker told Ballard.
Walker is trying to work his way out of a $770k debt and still hopes he can one day sign an NBA contract.
“Honestly, I don’t feel like the guys in the NBA are that much better than me,” he believes.
The entire article is worth a read if you’re interested in learning more about his fall. The guy is overweight and shooting poorly for the Stampede, and probably lucky they have him under contract. This is the exact sort of story all athletes need to read to make sure they avoid the same problems in their careers.
