2600:8805:6401:E200:2A1:5DD3:AB7A:CA70 at 01:13, 11 May 2025

2025-05-11T01:13:38Z

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{{short description|American basketball player (born 1967)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Rex Chapman
| image =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 185
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|10|5}}
| birth_place = [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]], U.S.
| college = [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] (1986–1988)
| highschool = [[Apollo High School (Owensboro, Kentucky)|Apollo]] ([[Owensboro, Kentucky]])
| draft_year = 1988
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 8
| draft_team = [[Charlotte Hornets]]
| career_start = 1988
| career_end = 2000
| career_position = [[Shooting guard]] / [[point guard]]
| career_number = 3, 7
| years1={{nbay|1988|start}}–{{nbay|1991|end}} |team1=[[Charlotte Hornets]]
| years2={{nbay|1991|end}}–{{nbay|1994|end}} |team2=[[Washington Bullets]]
| years3={{nbay|1995|full=y}} |team3=[[Miami Heat]]
| years4={{nbay|1996|start}}–{{nbay|1999|end}} |team4=[[Phoenix Suns]]
| highlights =
* [[NBA All-Rookie Second Team]] ([[1988–89 NBA season|1989]])
* Third-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] – [[National Association of Basketball Coaches|NABC]] ([[1988 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1988]])
* First-team All-[[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] (1988)
* Second-team All-[[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] (1987)
* [[SEC men's basketball tournament|SEC tournament]] MVP ([[1988 SEC men's basketball tournament|1988]])
* [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonald's All-American]] ([[1986 McDonald's All-American Boys Game|1986]])
* First-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (1986)
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 9,731 (14.6 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 1,645 (2.5 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 1,798 (2.7 apg)
| bbr = chapmre01
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{Bk|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver |[[1987 Pan American Games|1987 Indianapolis]] | [[Basketball at the 1987 Pan American Games|Team competition]]}}
}}
'''Rex Everett Chapman''' (born October 5, 1967) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player and [[social media influencer]], mostly known for his time with the [[Charlotte Hornets]] from 1988 to 1992 and for his time with the [[Phoenix Suns]] from 1996 to 2000. Chapman was a high school star in [[Kentucky]], winning many awards for his play. In two seasons at the [[University of Kentucky]], he won further awards and scored more than 1,000 points. Chapman was the first draft pick of the expansion [[Charlotte Hornets]] and played on four [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) teams. Over his 12-year career, he averaged 14.6 points per game and appeared in two slam dunk competitions.

Injuries sustained on NBA courts led Chapman to an addiction to [[Opioid use disorder|opioids]]. Following an arrest for shoplifting, he entered [[Drug rehabilitation|drug rehab]] for the third time and was able to overcome his addiction. After retiring, Chapman held several jobs with NBA teams, culminating in being the vice president of player personnel with the [[Denver Nuggets]]. He is a broadcaster for University of Kentucky basketball games.

==Early life and education==
Rex Chapman was born October 5, 1967, in [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Rex Chapman Stats, News, Bio|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/143/rex-chapman|access-date=2020-06-18|website=ESPN|language=en}}</ref> Rex's father is [[Wayne Chapman (basketball)|Wayne Chapman]], who played in the [[American Basketball Association]] and coached [[Kentucky Wesleyan College]] to two [[NCAA Division II]] national championships.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine|last=Davis|first=Seth|date=2015-07-28|title=After addiction & arrest, ex-Kentucky star Rex Chapman tries to rebuild his life|url=https://www.si.com/college/2015/07/28/rex-chapman-kentucky-nba-painkillers-theft|access-date=2020-06-18|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us}}</ref> Chapman had a turbulent relationship with his father; he and his sister, Jenny, "used to pray that Wayne's teams would win" so the mood of the house would not be tense, while his mother, Laura, would attempt to defuse the tension.<ref name=":2" />

==Amateur career==
Chapman was a [[high school]] basketball star at [[Apollo High School (Kentucky)|Apollo High School]] in [[Owensboro, Kentucky]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=2018-02-08|title=Rex Chapman|url=https://khsbhf.com/rex-chapman/|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Kentucky High School Basketball Hall Of Fame|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite episode|title=Being Rex Chapman|series=E:60|network=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/36d8040b-f8a5-4a24-b078-c35ab8648a45/bucketId/19832}}</ref>{{Rp|2:20–2:38}} During his junior year, Chapman led his team to the state quarterfinals.<ref name=":3" /> He racked up numerous awards and accolades his senior year, including Mr. Basketball of Kentucky, Gatorade State Player of the Year, [[Associated Press]] Player of the Year, and [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonalds's All-American]].<ref name=":3" /> In 2020, radio host [[Matt Jones (radio host)|Matt Jones]] described Chapman as, "the biggest high school basketball player that ever came from the state."<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|2:20–2:38}} He was inducted into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.<ref name=":3" /> Chapman was heavily recruited by many universities, but he chose to stay close to home when he signed with the [[University of Kentucky]].<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|3:00–3:30}}

Chapman was a star with the [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky Wildcats]].<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /> His freshman year, he averaged 16 points a game, was named [[Southeastern Conference]] (SEC) Freshman of the Year, set a record for [[Point (basketball)|points]] by a freshman, and led the Wildcats to the [[1987 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1987 NCAA tournament]].<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|4:12–4:20}}<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Wallace|first=Tom|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/995087147|title=University of Kentucky basketball encyclopedia|date=October 18, 2016|publisher=Sports |isbn=978-1-61321-892-1|oclc=995087147}}</ref> Chapman improved his sophomore year average to 19 points a game.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|5:12–5:22}} Chapman, joined by teammates such as future NBA journeyman [[Winston Bennett]], helped lead Kentucky to the SEC title{{Efn|The SEC title was later vacated.<ref name="UK Past Teams" />|name=|group=}} with a 27–6 record.<ref name="UK Past Teams">{{cite web | last = Scott | first = Jon | title = Kentucky Teams of the Past | url=http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/teamslist.html | access-date = July 3, 2008 | publisher = bigbluehistory.net: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Page}}</ref> The Wildcats were ranked as the sixth college basketball team in the nation by the [[Associated Press|AP]] and [[United Press International|UPI]] and secured the No. 2 seed in the South region of the [[1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1988 NCAA tournament]].<ref name="UK Past Teams" /> Kentucky reached the [[Sweet Sixteen (basketball)|Sweet Sixteen]], where Chapman scored a career best 30 points in a losing effort against [[Villanova University|Villanova]].<ref name=":5" /> Chapman was named to the All-SEC Team both of his college years and amassed a total of 1,073 points before opting to enter the [[NBA draft]].<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|5:30–5:34}}<ref name=":5" /> Chapman left the university as a "campus legend" with the nickname "King Rex".<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|1:23–1:30}}

Chapman found the off-court scrutiny and attention difficult.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|4:26–5:08}} He said he was harassed by other students and the coaching staff for continuing to date his black high school girlfriend. "It wore on me," said Chapman, who is white. "It was hateful."<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=May 16, 2005|title=Chapman: UK disliked interracial dating|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/news/story?id=2061773|access-date=November 23, 2019|website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

==Professional career==

===Charlotte Hornets===
The [[Charlotte Hornets]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), an [[expansion team]], selected Chapman with the eighth overall pick in the [[1988 NBA draft]]; he became the first player ever drafted by the Hornets.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stroehlein|first=Ashley|date=2018-06-21|title=Rex Chapman reflects on being Hornets first draft pick|url=https://www.wbtv.com/story/38479782/rex-chapman-reflects-on-being-hornets-first-draft-pick|access-date=2020-06-26|website=WBTV|language=en-US}}</ref> Chapman averaged 16.9 points per game in his rookie season.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Rex Chapman Stats|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/chapmre01.html|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en}}</ref> Chapman competed in the 1990 and 1991 [[Slam Dunk Contest]]s, earning recognition for his dunks, where he would flip the ball.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Golliver|first=Ben|date=2013-02-13|title=The 10 greatest Slam Dunk Contests|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2013/02/13/nba-slam-dunk-contest-michael-jordan-vince-carter-dwight-howard|access-date=2020-06-26|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us}}</ref> After two-and-a-half seasons with the Hornets, Chapman was traded midway through the [[1991–92 NBA season|1991–1992 season]] to the [[Washington Bullets]]. He was injured, however, and could only participate in the final game of the season.<ref name=":6" />

===Washington Bullets and Miami Heat===
On February 19, 1992, the Hornets traded Chapman to the [[Washington Bullets]] in exchange for [[Tom Hammonds]].<ref name=":6" /> He played 60 games during the [[1993–94 NBA season|1993–94 season]] and 45 games during the [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95 season]].<ref name=":1" /> After getting off to a strong start in the 1994–95 season, Chapman injured his ankle.<ref name=":2" />

The Bullets traded Chapman, with [[Terrence Rencher]], to the [[Miami Heat]] for [[Ed Stokes]] and [[Jeff Webster]] in June 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/01/05/chapman-recalls-years-in-washington/34bf7393-9e68-4c32-8f91-669d1521b94f/|title=Chapman Recalls Years In Washington|first=Ric|last=Bucher|newspaper=Washington Post|date=January 5, 1998|accessdate=January 18, 2022}}</ref> Chapman averaged 14.8 points per game during the 1995–96 season.<ref name=":6" /> On February 23, 1996, he scored 39 points (converting 9-of-10 three-point attempts) and led an injury-plagued Miami Heat team, with an eight-man roster, to a 113–104 victory over the [[Chicago Bulls]], handing the Bulls one of their 10 losses during their historic [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|72–10 run]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smalls II|first=C. Isaiah|date=2020-05-18|title=An undermanned Heat team beat the Michael Jordan-led Bulls that went 72–10. Here's how|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article242810526.html|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Miami Herald}}</ref> Unfortunately, later in the season Chapman found himself on the injured list again and only participated in 56 games. He eventually signed with the Suns.<ref name=":6" />

===Phoenix Suns===
Chapman played in 65 games, and scored 13 points per game for Phoenix for the [[1996–97 NBA season|1996–1997 season]].<ref name=":6" /> He played well in the Suns' last four games of the regular season.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|last=Weiner|first=Alexander|date=2020-04-25|title=23 year ago, Suns' Rex Chapman broke an NBA playoff record|url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2020/04/25/chapman-suns-3-point-record/|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Cronkite News|language=en-US}}</ref> Chapman had two memorable games against the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] in the first round of the play-offs. In Game 1, he set a play-off record for three-point shots (nine),<ref name=":8" /> which was surpassed by [[Klay Thompson]] (11) in 2016 and [[Damian Lillard]] (12, 2OT) in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=Royce |title=Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard hits playoff-record 12 3s in 2OT loss |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31550352/portland-trail-blazers-damian-lillard-hits-playoff-record-12-3s-2-ot-loss |access-date=June 3, 2021 |agency=ESPN |date=June 1, 2021}}</ref> In game four, Chapman hit an off-balance three-point shot on an inbounds pass to send the game to overtime, although the Suns went on to lose.<ref name=":8" />

Chapman played 68 games during the [[1997–98 NBA season|1997–1998 season]] for the Suns, scoring almost 16 points per game.<ref name=":6" /> However, he was injured again during the strike-shortened [[1998–99 NBA season|1999 season]], playing 38 games.<ref name=":6" /> During his time with the Suns, Chapman began having severe nerve pains in his foot, had seven surgeries, and began to regularly take [[Vicodin]].<ref name=":2" /> After 53 games during the [[1999–2000 NBA season|1999–2000 season]], Chapman's various injuries and declining performance led him to retire.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|8:30–9:01}}<ref name=":6" /> In the spring before he retired, Chapman had an emergency [[appendectomy]]. After the surgery, he was prescribed [[OxyContin]], which increased his drug dependency, in part because it also helped ease the social anxiety he felt.<ref name=":2" />

Chapman played a total of 666 regular season NBA games, scoring 9,731 points for an average of 14.6 points per game, with 1,798 assists for an average of 2.7 assists per game, and 1,645 rebounds, for 2.5 rebounds per game.<ref name=":6" />

[[Danny Ainge]], who coached Chapman with the Phoenix Suns and became a close friend, said "Rex was a great competitor. I worried about keeping him healthy." and that "he was a very, very smart player. You could tell he was the son of a coach."<ref name=":2" /> Despite a respectable professional career, Chapman was never named an NBA All-Star.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rand |first=Michael |date=December 17, 2018 |title=Stu's Hunt Down: ex-Timberwolves scout Rex Chapman |url=https://www.startribune.com/stu-s-hunt-down-ex-timberwolves-scout-rex-chapman/112091054/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Star Tribune |language=en}}</ref>

==NBA career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend}}

=== Regular season ===

{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1988–89 NBA season|1988–89]]
| align="left" | [[1988-89 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| '''75''' || 44 || 29.6 || .414 || .314 || .795 || 2.5 || 2.3 || 0.9 || 0.3 || 16.9
|-
| align="left" | [[1989–90 NBA season|1989–90]]
| align="left" | [[1989-90 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| 54 || 52 || 32.6 || .408 || .331 || .750 || 3.3 || 2.4 || 0.9 || 0.1 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" | [[1990–91 NBA season|1990–91]]
| align="left" | [[1990-91 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| 70 || '''68''' || 30.0 || .445 || .324 || .830 || 2.7 || 3.6 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 15.7
|-
| align="left" rowspan=2| [[1991-92 NBA season|1991–92]]
| align="left" | [[1991-92 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| 21 || 11 || 26.0 || .450 || .296 || .679 || 2.6 || '''4.1''' || 0.7 || '''0.4''' || 12.4
|-

| align="left" | [[1991-92 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 1 || 0 || 22.0 || .417 || .000 || − || '''4.0''' || 3.0 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 10.0
|-
| align="left" | [[1992-93 NBA season|1992-93]]
| align="left" | [[1992-93 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 60 || 23 || 21.7 || .477 || .371 || .810 || 1.5 || 1.9 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 12.5
|-
| align="left" | [[1993-94 NBA season|1993-94]]
| align="left" | [[1993-94 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 60 || 59 || '''33.8''' || '''.498''' || '''.388''' || .816 || 2.4 || 3.1 || 1.0 || 0.1 || '''18.2'''
|-
| align="left" | [[1994-95 NBA season|1994-95]]
| align="left" | [[1994-95 Washington Bullets season|Washington]]
| 45 || 29 || 32.6 || .397 || .314 || '''.862''' || 2.5 || 2.8 || '''1.5''' || 0.3 || 16.2
|-
| align="left" | [[1995-96 NBA season|1995-96]]
| align="left" | [[1995-96 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 56 || 50 || 33.3 || .426 || .371 || .735 || 2.6 || 3.0 || 0.8 || 0.2 || 14.0
|-
| align="left" | [[1996–97 NBA season|1996–97]]
| align="left" | [[1996-97 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| 65 || 33 || 28.2 || .443 || .350 || .832 || 2.8 || 2.8 || 0.8 || 0.1 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | [[1997–98 NBA season|1997–98]]
| align="left" | [[1997-98 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| 68 || 67 || 33.3 || .427 || .386 || .781 || 2.5 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 15.9
|-
| align="left" | [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99]]
| align="left" | [[1998-99 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| 38 || 35 || 31.1 || .359 || .351 || .835 || 2.7 || 2.9 || 0.9 || 0.2 || 12.1
|-
| align="left" | [[1999–2000 NBA season|1999–00]]
| align="left" | [[1999-2000 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| 58 || 19 || 18.1 || .388 || .333 || .756 || 1.5 || 1.2 || 0.4 || 0.0 || 6.6
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 666 || 490 || 29.3 || .430 || .350 || .800 || 2.5 || 2.7 || 0.9 || 0.2 || 14.6
{{S-end}}

=== Playoffs ===

{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1996 NBA Playoffs|1996]]
| align="left" | [[1995-96 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| 3 || 3 || 29.3 || .429 || .231 || − || 2.0 || 1.7 || '''1.0''' || 0.0 || 9.0
|-
| align="left" | [[1997 NBA Playoffs|1997]]
| align="left" | [[1996-97 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| '''5''' || '''5''' || '''38.2''' || '''.494''' || '''.458''' || .680 || '''3.2''' || '''2.6''' || 0.4 || 0.0 || '''24.2'''
|-
| align="left" | [[1998 NBA Playoffs|1998]]
| align="left" | [[1997-98 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| 2 || 2 || 29.0 || .261 || .000 || '''.857''' || 0.0 || 2.0 || '''1.0''' || 0.0 || 9.0
|-
| align="left" | [[1999 NBA Playoffs|1999]]
| align="left" | [[1998-99 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| 3 || 3 || 19.0 || .286 || .333 || .750 || 2.0 || 2.0 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 5.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 13 || 13 || 30.3 || .419 || .375 || .722 || 2.2 || 2.2 || 0.6 || 0.0 || 14.1
{{S-end}}

==Post-playing life==
After retiring from active play, Chapman's drug addiction intensified.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />{{Rp|9:35}} He also began betting on [[Horse racing#Betting|horse racing]] daily.<ref name=":2" /> Betting on horses had been a distraction for him from childhood through his time in the NBA, where he hid his habit.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|6:40–7:08}} Chapman eventually stopped betting and went to [[Gamblers Anonymous]] meetings.<ref name=":2" /> Urged by Ainge to enter [[Drug rehabilitation|rehab]] for his drug problem, Chapman was diagnosed with [[attention deficit disorder]] and [[Major depressive disorder|depression]], for which he was medicated.<ref name=":2" /> Following rehab, he was troubled by abdomen pain and had surgery to remove a pin from his wrist.<ref name=":2" /> Following the surgery, he was prescribed [[Vicodin]] and resumed his addiction, seeking treatment in 2002.<ref name=":2" /> After breaking the addiction, a doctor suggested he try [[Suboxone]], medicine used to treat opioid addiction, which successfully addressed a resurgence of his abdominal pains.<ref name=":2" /> Over time, Suboxone caused Chapman to lose energy and clouded his thinking.<ref name=":2" />

Chapman held several jobs in rapid succession following his retirement.<ref name=":2" /> After his second time in rehab, he was hired by the Suns, first as a scout and later as Director of Basketball Operations.<ref name=":2" /> Chapman served as a color commentator on [[Turner Network Television|TNT]] during the [[2004 NBA playoffs|2004]] and [[2005 NBA playoffs]].<ref>{{Cite press release|date=2004-01-15|title=Newcomer Rex Chapman Joins Dick Stockton and John Thompson to Call TNT's HDTV Telecasts of the 2004 NBA All-Star Game and NBA All-Star Saturday|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040115005475/en/Newcomer-Rex-Chapman-Joins-Dick-Stockton-John|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Business Wire|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629050410/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20040115005475/en/Newcomer-Rex-Chapman-Joins-Dick-Stockton-John|archive-date=June 29, 2020}}</ref> In 2005, he moved from Phoenix to accept a personnel scout position with the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]].<ref name=":2" /> In 2006, Chapman accepted the position of vice president of player personnel with the [[Denver Nuggets]], which he held for four years.<ref name=":2" />

When Chapman left the Nuggets, his personal life was in turmoil. He was divorcing his wife, sharing custody of their four children. Chapman had also become estranged from his parents and sister.<ref name=":2" /> His life continued to spiral down after leaving basketball.<ref name=":2" /> Chapman worked in a variety of jobs as a basketball broadcaster, including for [[Grand Canyon University]] in 2013.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Announcers selected for regionalized Final Four broadcasts {{!}} NCAA.com|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2014-04-01/announcers-selected-regionalized-final-four-broadcasts-tnt|access-date=2020-06-26|website=www.ncaa.com|language=en}}</ref>

In September 2014, Chapman was arrested for [[shoplifting]] merchandise from an [[Apple Store]] in [[Scottsdale, Arizona]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|last=Moore|first=Matt|date=2014-09-14|title=Rex Chapman arrested for alleged shoplifting at Apple Store|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/rex-chapman-arrested-for-alleged-shoplifting-at-apple-store/|access-date=2020-06-26|website=CBSSports|language=en}}</ref> Chapman made it appear that he was paying for an item at self checkout, but left the store and pawned the item to pay for gambling debts.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|12:16–12:20}}<ref name=":7" /> Returning to the store several times, he was eventually identified by multiple employees based on his tenure in the NBA.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":7" /> Following the arrest, Chapman entered a rehab facility in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], run by a former University of Kentucky teammate.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> After a week of being drug free, his abdominal pain returned and he was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for an ulcer.<ref name=":2" /> Chapman's pain disappeared, but the experience angered him: "This whole time I've been thinking I've got this jones for pain medication, it was really just an ulcer".<ref name=":2" /> During this time in rehab, he was prescribed [[Zoloft]] for his depression and began deep [[psychotherapy]] for the first time.<ref name=":2" />

Following his time in Louisville, Chapman continued to seek treatment in Texas and was hired by TNT to broadcast Kentucky's 2015 Final Four Game.<ref name=":2" /> In September 2015, Chapman pleaded guilty to four felony charges and was sentenced to probation. He agreed to pay more than $15,000 to the Apple Store and complete 750 hours of community service.<ref>{{cite news|date=September 9, 2015|title=Rex Chapman sentenced to probation, to pay restitution after guilty plea|publisher=ESPN|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/13615202/rex-chapman-pleads-guilty-apple-store-shoplifting-case|access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref> Chapman eventually moved back to Lexington, where he states he stays clean, eats healthily, and swims daily.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|13:45–13:57}} He hosts a pre-game show before Wildcat basketball games.<ref name=":4" />{{Rp|14:00–14:05}}<ref name="Granderson 2019" />

===Social media influencer===
Chapman has been labeled as a [[social media influencer]] for his activity on [[Twitter]], with over a million followers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=McGee|first=Ryan|date=2020-03-26|title=Rex Chapman is a comeback story and a Twitter feed for our time|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28958919/rex-chapman-comeback-story-twitter-feed-our|access-date=2020-06-16|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Granderson 2019">{{cite web|last=Granderson|first=Lz|date=11 November 2019|title=Column: Former NBA player Rex Chapman rebounds to social media star after opioid battle|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2019-11-11/nba-rex-chapman-rebounds-opioid-addiction-social-media-star|access-date=11 April 2020|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Chapman, however, does not agree with being labeled that way and commented in 2020, "I'm not even sure what that means... Me, an influencer? Man, I hope not."<ref name=":0" /> He first joined Twitter as part of his job as a broadcaster. He began attracting followers after posting a video of dolphins charging into a paddle boarder, the first in a series of "[[Charge (basketball)|block or charge]]?" tweets.<ref name=":0" />

After previously declining any kind of sponsorship, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] Chapman was able to raise more than $150,000 to support those experiencing financial hardship.<ref name=":0" /> Despite his social media success, Chapman said he is glad that it was not around when he was a professional athlete.<ref name="Granderson 2019" /> Since 2019, Chapman has been the [[television presenter]] of a ''Block or Charge'' show which appeared on [[Adult Swim]], based on his tweets.<ref name="Gregory 2020">{{cite magazine|last=Gregory|first=Sean|date=6 April 2020|title='It Takes My Mind Off This Crazy World.' A Quarantined World Is Here for Rex Chapman's Twitter Feed|url=https://time.com/5815792/rex-chapman-twitter/|access-date=11 April 2020|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|publisher=TIME USA, LLC.}}</ref><ref name="Busbee 2019">{{cite web|last=Busbee|first=Jay|date=30 October 2019|title=Block or Charge: How Rex Chapman created a Twitter legend|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/block-or-charge-how-rex-chapman-created-a-twitter-legend-151202675.html|access-date=11 April 2020|work=[[Yahoo Sports]]|publisher=[[Verizon Media]]}}</ref> He also hosts a [[podcast]] called ''The Rex Chapman Show'', which debuted on [[Basketballnews.com]] on March 16, 2021, with friend and actor [[Josh Hopkins]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-11|title=BasketballNews.com adds Rex Chapman to staff as podcast host|url=https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/basketball-news-adds-former-nba-guard-rex-chapman-to-staff-as-podcast-host-hired-new-addition|access-date=2021-04-20|website=basketballnews.com|language=en}}</ref>

=== Television ===
In January 2022, [[CNN]] announced that Chapman will appear as a host on [[CNN+]], the network's streaming platform. The show, simply titled ''Rex Chapman'', premiered on April 4, 2022, and aired four episodes before the service shut down on April 28.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shows A-Z - rex chapman on cnn plus |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/rex-chapman/listings/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>

In March 2022, Chapman served as a studio analyst for coverage of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Evans|first=Greg|date=2022-01-18|title=Rex Chapman To Join CNN+ As Host; Former NBA Player, Social Media Star Is Latest Hire For Streaming Service|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/rex-chapman-cnn-cnn-1234914269/|access-date=2022-01-18|website=Deadline}}</ref>

In September 2022, entertainment business magazine ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' announced Chapman's podcast, “Charges with Rex Chapman”, would be turning into a TV show. Like the podcast, the new series will come from Portal A and Steve Nash's CTRL Media.<ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Vet Rex Chapman to Turn 'Charges' Podcast Into TV Docuseries|url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/rex-chapman-nba-charges-podcast-tv-show-1235380539/ |publisher=Variety |date=2022-09-22}}</ref>

=== Memoir ===

In February 2024, Chapman's "blunt memoir about stardom, addiction, and American culture" ''It's Hard For Me To Live With Me'' was published.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rex-chapman/its-hard-me-live-me-chapman/|website=Kirkus Reviews|title=It's Hard For Me To Live With Me|access-date=March 10, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of second-generation NBA players]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Twitter | id= RexChapman }}
* [https://www.si.com/college/2017/06/19/rex-chapman-kentucky-opioid-epidemic ''Our National Pain''] a 2017 essay by Chapman for ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''
{{United States Men Basketball Squad 1987 Pan American Games}}
{{1988 NBA draft}}
{{NBA on TNT}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Rex}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1987 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Charlotte Hornets draft picks]]
[[Category:Charlotte Hornets players]]
[[Category:College basketball announcers in the United States]]
[[Category:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball players]]
[[Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in basketball]]
[[Category:Miami Heat players]]
[[Category:NBA broadcasters]]
[[Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)]]
[[Category:Phoenix Suns players]]
[[Category:Shooting guards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Bowling Green, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Owensboro, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Washington Bullets players]]
[[Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]]
[[Category:American disabled sportspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]

Rex Chapman - Revision history

2600:8805:6401:E200:2A1:5DD3:AB7A:CA70 at 01:13, 11 May 2025