The Best Moment Of Chris Webber’s Life Happened Off The Court
Some people seem to have it all but remain unsatisfied. This was the case for the NBA superstar Chris Webber. He had the money, success, fame… what else could anyone want? Luckily, this athlete was finally able to find the missing puzzle in his life. And weirdly enough, it didn’t happen on the court, rather 9 years after he quit professional basketball…
Quite The Baller
Do you know Chris Webber? Sports fans will definitely be familiar with him! Even though it has been a long time since his retirement, he is still considered to be the best center the Sacramento Kings ever had. Not bad, Chris!
Quite The Baller
Trophies On Trophies
Aside from that, Chris has earned a number of impressive awards over the years; he was named the Rookie of the Year, NBA All-Star and All-NBA Team. It’s even more impressive when you hear that he made it to the latter two five times each! However, his biggest achievement did not take place on the court. It was something that he once thought he would never get so you can imagine how special it must be for him.
Trophies On Trophies
His Real Name
Chris Webber is sometimes called C. Webb but neither of those names are his real name. His full name is actually Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III! That’s a pretty stately name, isn’t it? It’s also a mouthful to say!
His Real Name
Detroit Native
Chris Webber was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Born in 1973, he was already familiar with basketball ever since he was a young boy. Just like other athletes, however, he only took the sport seriously when he entered high school. Webber helped the basketball team from Detroit Country Day School win the title during the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) State Championship.
Detroit Native
Chevy Corsica
As a Michigan native, it was almost expected that he would be interested in cars! His first car happened to be a Chevy Corsica in burgundy. He has referred to his ‘baby’ as his best friend.
Chevy Corsica
Michigan’s Mr. Basketball
The athlete was also crowned Michigan’s Mr. Basketball thanks to his amazing achievements and skills on the court. Every state gives he award to the most talented high school baller.
Michigan’s Mr. Basketball
College Ball
After he graduated from high school, Chris enrolled and played ball at the University of Michigan. Yep, go Wolverines! In his freshman year, he became a part of the Fab Five, the name given to a group of talented freshman players on the team. During his time at the university, he was #4.
College Ball
From College To The NBA
Can you imagine a basketball with some hip-hop vibes? Apparently, the Fab Five had been responsible for playing with a hip-hop vibe! When Webber was playing with the Wolverines, the team appeared in two NCAA finals. That’s not bad at all! What’s more, four of five Fab 5 players later entered the big leagues when they joined the NBA. However, many of the Wolverines became involved in a huge scandal that nearly ruined their futures…
From College To The NBA
A Major Scandal
Chris Webber was directly involved in the University of Michigan scandal back in the mid 90’s! He was even found guilty and the educational institution stripped him of his awards. The baller left the university with nothing under his belt. He was convicted of perjury when it was discovered that he received a huge amount of money from Ed Martin, a local booster.
A Major Scandal
Trouble With The Law
The huge scandal in his college career was not the only time Chris Webber had to deal with legal authorities. In 1998, the baller was once again in the news when he went face-to-face with the law for three offenses! He was charged with marijuana possession on top of a second-degree assault and a DUI. He was lucky enough to have made it out of the more grave charges, though he did cough up $560 for the minor infractions. That was a pretty large fine, though Chris did not learn his lesson just yet.
Trouble With The Law
Airport Trouble
Well, it happened again. Instead of staying low-key, Chris got in trouble not long after,and he was caught by the authorities again! In the same year, the U.S. Customs stopped him in Puerto Rico. Any ideas what he did?
Airport Trouble
Fila Sneaker Launch
They stopped Chris because they found marijuana in his luggage! At the time, he was headed for the Barbados for the promotion of a new sneaker by Fila. After this came out, the sportswear line dropped the athlete and even charged him a whopping $2.61 million for breaching the contract.
Fila Sneaker Launch
Timeout Trouble
In the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championships of 1993, Chris made everyone facepalm. He made a timeout call and it ended up costing them the title. There were only 10 seconds left in the game and the North Carolina Tar Heels were in the lead at 73-71. When he called for a timeout, he did not realize there were no longer any left! It earned him a technical foul and the loss of the Wolverines. That’s not an easy mistake to forget and we bet he is still ashamed of it.
Timeout Trouble
Music Sensation
Numerous NBA stars have tried their hand at rapping and Chris is one of them. In 1999, he released his own rap album called ‘2 Much Drama’. You should watch the ‘Gangsta, Gangsta’ music video as well!
Music Sensation
The No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
Only one player a year can claim they were the top draft. In 1993, the year he made the NBA draft, Chris Webber received that honor! The Orlando Magic acquired him when he was only a college sophomore. It is interesting to know that Magic Johnson is the only other player to have achieved this!
The No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
Draft-Day Trade
He was not with the Orlando Magic for a long time as they immediately traded him for four of the Golden State Warriors players. Nonetheless, he definitely impressed viewers when he helped his team in the playoffs. He was even awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year award!
Draft Day Trade
Rookie Year
The Golden State Warriors got Chris Webber in a $74.4 million deal. That’s a huge amount and it is even more impressive that he was only a rookie at the time!
Rookie Year
The Best Of Friends
After spending some time with GSW, he was traded to the Washington Wizards, formerly known as the Washington Bullets. There, he reunited with Juwan Howard, his Fab 5 teammate, and they immediately picked up where they left off.
The Best Of Friends
Chris & Tyra
Did you know that Chris Webber used to go out with Tyra Banks? The supermodel and reality TV star was usually seen watching the Sacramento Kings games. They got together in 2002 and broke up two years later.
Chris & Tyra
Washington D.C. Here We Come!
When he was in D.C., he helped the team get to its first playoffs in more than ten years! His efforts also earned him a nomination to the All-Star team. After a successful run with the Bullets, he went back to California in 1998. This time, he joined the Sacramento Kings.
Washington D.C. Here We Come!
Apprehensive
The Sacramento Kings suffered some terrible luck in those days and Chris was understandably apprehensive about joining the team. Luckily, his career soared to new heights when he was part of the franchise.
Apprehensive
The Impossible
Back then, Sacramento had a reputation as a losing team, though Chris was determined to change that. He managed to take the team to the NBA finals! This is more than impressive when you consider the team last won a title back in 1951. We’re sure the fans were thrilled!
The Impossible
NBA Top Power Forward
His time with Sacramento cemented his status as one of the top power forwards in the NBA. In the 2000-2001 season, he was selected for the All-Star team and reached 27.1 average points, a career-high! These achievements must have contributed to his solid $127 million 7-year contract with the Kings.
NBA Top Power Forward
An Incredible Season
Webber knew how great of an opportunity this was and he took it seriously. He impressed everyone ever more and he gave the Kings a record-breaking season with 61 wins and 21 losses. During the Western Conference Finals in 2002, the L.A. Lakers put the Kings out of the running and effectively crushed their dreams of coming back to the championship for the first time in nearly five decades. He received some injuries during his last year in Sacramento. In 2005, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
An Incredible Season
Better Luck Next Time
Sadly, he did not experience the same level of success when he was with the Sixers. After only two years with them, he went home to Michigan and joined the local NBA team, the Detroit Pistons.
Better Luck Next Time
A Shocking Injury
After some time in Detroit, he was traded again in 2008. This time, he went back to the Warriors. Maybe he missed the sun in California! However, his knee injury appeared to be worsening over time and he decided to stop playing altogether after nine games into the season. Fans did not know what to make of this new development in his life.
A Shocking Injury
The End
Chris Webber officially retired from playing ball in 2008. He spent 15 years in the league and quit at the age of 35. At least he has impressive stats under his belt. He ended with the following stats: an average of 20.7 points, 4.2 assists, and 9.8 rebounds per game! Those are some impressive figures. Let us hope he is happy about them as well!
The End
Legendary
Put simply, the man is a legend. He averaged the following stats during the first 13 seasons of his career: 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. He and Wilt Chamberlain are the only ones who accomplished this!
Legendary
Retired Jersey
Chris Webber played for the Sacramento Kings from 1998 to 2004. He helped the team accomplish many things and excelled on the court so they honored him by retiring his jersey number. Look, this poster of him is even bigger than him!
Retired Jersey
We’re Waiting
A lot of basketball fans want to know when Chris Webber will be included in the NBA Hall of Fame! We’ll continue waiting until the moment it happens.
We’re Waiting
Gametime Live
After retiring from playing, Chris Webber tried his hand at other jobs in different fields. Clearly, he also has talent outside of the sport. Among other things, he served as an analyst on the Gametime Live program of the NBA.
Gametime Live
Quite The Collector
Did you know that Chris Webber also likes art? In fact, he owns a collection of African-American artifacts, some of which he lent to the Central Library in Sacramento. At the beginning, it was only a passing interest in African-American cultural history and has now morphed into a huge project. “I just thought I was going to put it in the hallway of my house. My friends were like, ‘You’re corny. You’re a nerd.’ I thought no one would care,” he narrated. The collection now goes on regular exhibitions all over the United States. His mother inspired him to start his own collection since she has her own artifacts at home.
Quite The Collector
Guest Appearances
Chris is a charismatic and eloquent man. It is not surprising to hear that he has guest starred on the David Letterman, Bill Maher, and Jay Leno shows!
Guest Appearances
Restaurant Biz
He also tried his hand in the culinary world. He opened Center Court with C Webb, his own restaurant in Sacramento, California.
Restaurant Biz
Talented On & Off The Court
The baller also launched an investment company and starred in the comedy film Uncle Drew in the role of an elderly preacher. He made a comeback to the music industry, though behind the scenes this time. He started producing music tracks with the rapper Nas. He really is talented!
Talented On & Off The Court
Webber Productions
He recently launched a production company of his own. Webber Productions hopes to make sports documentaries and films that focus on sports and social issues. Chris also wants to focus on cultural exhibitions and music projects. “I am happy to start a company with a man like Peter Gilbert, who has proven to be one of the best in documentary film work. I look forward to learning from him and telling great stories around my passions, my community and my world with him,” he explained.
Webber Productions
Film & TV
He has spent time in the film and TV industry as an actor as well! You can watch him in Unexpected and Somewhere in the Middle. However, his most notable appearance was for Uncle Drew.
Film & TV
Quite The Comedian
Chris Webber is also quite the funny guy. He took to Twitter to post this: “Guess they didn’t know how tall I am. Can’t get my legs under the table. LA Lakers vs UtahJazz”.
Quite The Comedian
#michigansfinest
Chris Webber and Magic Johnson are pretty good friends. They both attended Michigan State, though they did not meet each other there. He posted this on Twitter: “@magicjohnson my mentor and friend since age 14 #michigansfinest”.
#michigansfinest
He Never Stops
It looks like Chris Webber just does not stop. He is also working on a book! He said, “You’re about to have a lot more to talk about, because I have a book that’s coming out this summer that’s going to tell the truth, because everything you’ve heard has been stories of writers that weren’t there or people that wanted to lie, so we’re going to shock the world with a book and a documentary.”
He Never Stops
GM Plant
As he is working on a documentary of his journey, he paid a visit to the General Motors’ Detroit-Hamtramck plant. His father worked there three decades! The baller talked to the workers and saw the famous Volt.
GM Plant
Philanthropist
With his money and fame, Chris Webber decided to make good use of his blessings. In 1993, he founded The Timeout Foundation, an NGO focused on helping at-risk youth. He has been recognized for his hard work and he was awarded the Sacramento Kings/Oscar Robertson Triple Double Award!
Philanthropist
Giving Back
He launched an initiative that gave young fans free tickets to basketball games. So far, he has helped distributed more than 3,000 tickets! We adore those who never forget to give back. Good job, Chris!
Giving Back
Wish Maker Of The Year
Chris Webber was named the Sacramento Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Wish Maker of the Year in 2003!
Wish Maker Of The Year
Coach Izzo
According to Patrick Izzo, head coach of Michigan State, Chris Webber was the only team recruit who could make him cry. Chris explained, “Coach Izzo is a big part of my book. I consider him a friend, I’ve known him since I was about 15 years old. … I love Coach Izzo, because when he goes into kids’ houses and he talks to kids, and he says what he says and he makes them promises, he holds true to those promises. Tom Izzo is one of the best men that I know.”
Coach Izzo
Bad Blood
Chris and Jalen Rose, a fellow Fab 5 member, had a lot of ups and downs in their friendship. Apparently, the two are no longer friends! It seems like there had been a lot of tension when the ESPN documentary called The Fab 5 came out.
Bad Blood
“I’m Over It”
When the documentary came out, Chris wanted to set a couple of things straight about the previous scandal. “I know that the ‘Fab Five’ documentary makes it seem like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m so scared to talk about it,’ but the truth is I got over it a long time ago. I’ve always tried to embrace it,” he said.
“I’m Over It”
Michigan For Life
Chris Webber has made his name in the Michigan State enterprise. He even appeared as the honorary captain for a football game! A lot of fans were excited about his appearance.
Michigan For Life
“I Do”
When he quit basketball, Chris made another change in his life. In 2009, he got married to Erika Dates, his long-term partner. They had an intimate wedding ceremony attended only by 200 people.
I Do
Settling Down
They wanted to begin a family immediately, though there were fertility issues that put a stop to their efforts. Doctors even told them they might never conceive! They were heartbroken upon hearing this.
Settling Down
Difficult Times
It must have been incredibly tough for the couple. They kept trying for 7 years and they nearly gave up. However, something took them by surprise…
Difficult Times
Double The Fun
They were finally expecting! In 2017, the couple welcomed a set of twins, a boy and a girl. They must have been the happiest people on the planet when they learned of it. Chris and Erika announced their good fortune to the world via Instagram.
Double The Fun
Proud Parents
Erika could not help her excitement over her new babies and she posted this picture only a couple hours of later. It showed the twins and their dad doing the “peace sign”. Look at how proud they are!
Proud Parents
God’s Grace
Chris posted this photo and captioned it with this: “After many years of trying and more than a few heartbreaks, we were blessed with these little ones”. He also used the hashtags #worththewait and #godsgrace.
Gods Grace
Two Bundles Of Joy
Meanwhile, Erika posted this photo with the caption: “After many years of trying and more than a few heartbreaks, we were blessed with these little ones”. These two are adorable!
Two Bundles Of Joy
Like Father, Like Son
Take a look at this meme someone made about Chris and his son!
Like Father, Like Son
Thank You
“All in his time. Thank you to all of our family and friends and even strangers who shared our journey and kept us encouraged.” Aww, the family looked like they enjoyed their outing!
Thank You
Speaking Out
When he was interviewed by Esquire, the former NBA baller talked a lot about his personal life. He said, “Being a father has taken the edge off. It’s just something my wife and I have been praying for and working toward for years. To have it happen is just – s***, I don’t know what to say. It’s the best feeling in the world.” We’re happy for you, Chris!
Speaking Out
Absolute Joy
Here is another thing Chris had to say about it: “I don’t get any sleep, but I’m the oldest of five, and I used to do a lot of babysitting growing up. I have a big family, so we’re used to that. But it’s amazing just seeing something that’s your own, grow and develop. I’m just in awe. Most days it’s laughing and crying at the fact that something like this happened.”
Absolute Joy
Storybook Ending
Basketball success and fame did not make Chris the happiest man on earth. Luckily, he was blessed with two beautiful children and the love of his life. This is what dreams are made of!
Storybook Ending