Join Us at Vanderbilt Sports and Society for an Inspiring Talk with Former NBA Star Rex Chapman!

This piece talks about mental health and addiction.

The Vanderbilt Sports and Society Initiative hosted former NBA player Rex Chapman on January 16. Chapman shared his journey to fame and his battles with addiction and mental health.

Dr. Jill Stratton, assistant provost for academic support, opened the event. She introduced Andrew Maranniss, the special projects coordinator, who then mediated the conversation with Chapman. Maranniss highlighted the key moments from Chapman’s life that inspired his memoir, “It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me.”

Chapman began by talking about his early love for basketball. He enjoyed the game and felt it gave him a sense of purpose. But he also admitted that focusing solely on basketball made him one-dimensional.

He explained, “My dad was a coach, so I felt like I had to excel at it. It gave me self-worth, but looking back, it was the only thing I did that I enjoyed.” This narrow focus led him to neglect his studies during his college years at the University of Kentucky. He would skip classes, thinking he’d get by without them.

Chapman also opened up about his struggles with race in his personal life, particularly regarding his interracial relationship. He recalled a moment when his coach suggested he only see his girlfriend in secret, which left him feeling isolated and angry.

After two successful years at Kentucky, where he scored over a thousand points, he decided to leave for the NBA. “I just had enough, and I left school,” he said.

Chapman was selected as the eighth pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. His basketball career spanned 12 years, during which he played for four teams. Yet, despite his success, he found that his struggles with mental health continued, partly due to the pressures surrounding his personal life.

Feeling alone, Chapman turned to gambling, using large sums of money at the racetrack. “I took $10,000 to the track daily,” he said. He also became dependent on opioids after being prescribed painkillers for injuries, which spiraled into a deeper addiction.

His journey to recovery began when former NBA player Danny Ainge encouraged him to go to rehab. Although reluctant at first, Chapman eventually realized he needed help. However, he faced setbacks, including a relapse after surgery.

After hitting rock bottom in 2014, he returned to rehab and started to rebuild his life. During this time, he began using social media to advocate for causes that mattered to him, including social justice issues like the Black Lives Matter movement.

Chapman’s memoir opens with a thought-provoking quote: “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” He draws strength from these words as he continues to work on himself and his recovery.

He also touched on the current state of college athletics and the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) policies, which allow athletes to earn money. He expressed support for this change but cautioned that it comes with new pressures for young athletes adjusting to college life.

Maranniss emphasized the importance of Chapman sharing his experiences. His honesty serves as a valuable lesson for student-athletes facing similar challenges. “There’s so much to learn from someone who has been through the ups and downs of life,” he said.