An original Hornet dishes on Charlotte
Plus: Top news of the week — CMS seeks more money; New bishop could reshape Charlotte Diocese; Developer wants tax breaks for uptown apartments; Inside the making of Lovin' Life Music Festival
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The Charlotte Hornets’ first-ever draft pick, Rex Chapman, releases revelatory new memoir; Recounts Charlotte stalker, George Shinn’s questions on interracial dating
Former Hornets star Rex Chapman, who was drafted in the first round in 1988, released an eye-opening memoir. The cover depicts him in a Charlotte Hornets uniform. (Cover image courtesy of Simon & Schuster; Chapman photo from Shutterstock)
by Tony Mecia
When the Charlotte Hornets used their first-ever draft pick in 1988 on the University of Kentucky’s Rex Chapman, the selection was widely seen as adding star power as the team headed toward its first season.
Charlotte Observer sports columnist Tom Sorensen called him “flashy” and “clean-cut.” The Hornets explained at the time that the club “wanted a quality guy, a guy who fans could get excited about,” according to news coverage at the time.
But what wasn’t apparent at the time was that Chapman, then 20 years old, was leaving Kentucky early for the NBA in part because of challenges he faced there, according to his new memoir released in February, called “It’s Hard for Me to Live with Me.” (It’s co-written with CBS basketball analyst Seth Davis.)
Chapman, who is white, had been warned by his college coaches to “be careful” about dating a Black girl, he writes. Kentucky fans keyed the words “n—r lover” on his car door. He had gotten her pregnant, and he missed going with her to get an abortion because of a basketball game.
“The basketball part I can handle, but all the pressure and scrutiny that comes with it is too much,” he writes of that time in his life. “I am in a very fragile emotional state.”
In Charlotte, Chapman would join players Dell Curry and Muggsy Bogues in helping lead the team in its first few seasons. Then as now, the Hornets lost a lot more games than they won and finished toward the bottom of the league standings.
Chapman was traded midway through his third season with the Hornets, in 1991-92, and would go on to play for three more NBA teams and was repeatedly injured.
In his book, he chronicles in explicit detail his growing addiction to painkillers and repeated attempts at rehab, his frayed relationships with family members, his disintegrating marriage, his gambling problems and living out of a car. He hit rock bottom in 2014 after being arrested for stealing merchandise from a Phoenix Apple Store to pay gambling debts.
The memoir is an easy and intriguing read, providing a glimpse behind the scenes of life as a collegiate and pro star — a mix of the good (a strong network of supportive fellow players) and the bad (a lot of dangerous temptations).
There’s little in the memoir on Charlotte, which figures to be just one of Chapman’s stops on a rocky journey. Today, he appears to have his life more in order, he writes; he works for the Phoenix Suns, though he still has six figures of tax debts connected to past gambling, and he relies on marijuana to help him get by.
At the end of the memoir, he writes that he felt most comfortable on the court. But off the court? “I had little to no ability to deal with any of it. And the better I got at basketball, the more the sh-t piled up. That led me to some pretty dark places.”
Here are some of the highlights from the chapters on his time in Charlotte with the Hornets:
On meeting Charlotte Hornets owner George Shinn:
We fly to Charlotte and try to close out the deal at the house of the team’s owner, George Shinn. … George has a bar set up downstairs, but I don’t drink alcohol, so he pours me a Coke. We are talking about nothing much, and then George abruptly pivots the conversation. “Do you have a Black girlfriend?” he asks.
An all-too-familiar feeling hits my gut. “No,” I say, which is true because Shawn and I are broken up at the time. “But if I did and that makes me a bad guy, then I guess I’m a bad guy.”
He seems to be surprised by my defensive tone. “Yeah, yeah, of course,” he says. “I’m just saying you need to be careful with stuff like that. Remember, we live in the Bible Belt.”
On his fellow teammates Dell Curry and Muggsy Bogues — and Curry’s baby, Stephen:
The first friends I make in Charlotte are Dell Curry and his wife, Sonya. … Dell is a shooting guard, so he and I are going to compete for minutes, but he couldn’t be nicer. …
Dell mentors me in so many ways. We have a team function early in the season where we all have to wear suits. I have no idea how to tie a tie. When I tell Dell, he just smiles and shakes his head. Then we go to a mirror, and Dell stands behind me and teaches me how to tie a tie like he is my dad.
My other best friend on the team is our point guard, Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, who also lives in the apartment complex with his wife, Kim, and their baby girl, Brittney. …
Dell and Sonya have one baby. His name is Stephen. … Dell takes Stephen everywhere. Dell, Muggsy and I will be riding in the car, thinking we are great players. Little do we know the best player in the car is sitting in the baby seat.
On Muggsy Bogues and fans:
The fans really love Muggsy. He smiles and is completely approachable. … He signs autographs, poses for pictures and chats with people. The only thing that pisses him off is if a grown-up puts their hand on his head. “I ain’t no motherf-ing kid,” he’ll say.
On the attractiveness of spending the summer off-season in Charlotte:
The idea of spending my summers in Charlotte by myself is highly unappealing, so I buy a condo in Lexington and stay there for most of the off-season.
On NBA life:
When it comes to the opposite sex, the NBA is an extension of college. If we have a road game, there are women waiting for us at the hotel. If there aren’t, it isn’t hard at all to go out somewhere, meet a woman and bring her back to your room.
On a female fan who took an interest in him:
There is another time when my teammates let me know that there is a woman who sits regularly behind our bench at home games who seems to be taking a particular interest in me. I don’t know much about her except she is the wife of a local financial guy. I’d guess she is about 20 years older than me. … Once in a while I glance over at her, and I see what the guys are talking about. It is spooky.
One night, I am leaving the arena, and this fancy car pulls up right next to me. It is her. She waves at me and drives away. I get into my car, start driving home, and I realize she is following me. She tails me all the way to my subdivision. When I pull into my driveway, she drives away.
This happens several more times. Now I start to really panic. I tell Muggsy and Dell what is going on. They give me a ton of sh-t and zero help. …
My teammates tell me that the next time I see her near my home, I should call the police. That’s what I do. When the police show up, the car tries to drive off, but the cops trap it in the parking lot. Sure enough, it is my stalker. They find her completely naked in the front seat along with a bunch of sex toys. …
I’m not sure what happens from there or whether her husband ever finds out, but it is a long while before I see her at a game again.
Today's Charlotte Ledger supporting sponsor is VIA Health Partners, formerly Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region. New name, same exceptional care for families in 32 counties across North and South Carolina.
This week in Charlotte: Charlottean nominated as business court judge; Airport plans homeless crackdown; Rogers Builders sold; Charlotte FC hit by the ‘yips’
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
CMS budget seeks 13% increase in county funding: (WFAE) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill is recommending a budget that requests a 13% increase in funding from Mecklenburg County, to $702M for next year. The figure includes raises for teachers and staff and would likely require a property tax increase on top of increases already scheduled because of last year’s $2.5B school bond.
NC Parents’ Bill of Rights: (Observer) Internal emails reveal that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools faced challenges in implementing the Parents’ Bill of Rights due to its vague language, leading to confusion among educators and concerns about stifling instruction and increasing administrative burdens.
Politics
Residency hearing on state Senate election: (Observer) The State Board of Elections voted to allow a hearing after Lucille Puckett, the runner-up in the March primary for a Mecklenburg state Senate seat, alleged that apparent winner Caleb Theodros should be the subject of a local hearing because of residency requirements.
Todd Brown nominated for judge: Gov. Roy Cooper nominated Todd Brown Sr. as a special Superior Court judge for the North Carolina Business Court. Brown, the managing partner of Hunton Andrews Kurth Law Firm’s Charlotte Office, has 35 years of experience and leadership roles within the legal community.
Local news
How new bishop might reshape Charlotte Diocese: (Ledger 🔒) The Catholic Diocese of Charlotte is undergoing a transition as Bishop Peter Jugis prepares to retire due to health concerns after 20 years leading the diocese, with Franciscan Father Michael T. Martin set to replace him.
Arts organizations consider merger: (Observer) The Arts and Science Council and Foundation for the Carolinas are considering merging to bolster funding for Charlotte’s art community, seeking significant financial support from the city and Mecklenburg County. Details and commitments from the city and county are still being finalized.
Homelessness at the airport: (WSOC) Officials at Charlotte’s airport are crafting rules designed to allow police to prevent people who are homeless from sleeping there. One person who said she lives at the airport told WSOC: “They don’t really like us in here, but there is nothing they can really do about it.” She said about 30 people live at the airport, with most sleeping in the baggage claim area.
Business
Rogers Builders sold: (Ledger 🔒) In the latest Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers column, Rodgers Builders, a prominent construction company in Charlotte, appears to have been acquired by a Japanese-based construction conglomerate, although there has been no official announcement of the sale.
Sports
Dean Dome future: (WRAL) UNC Chapel Hill is considering building a new basketball stadium, potentially off-campus, or renovating the existing Dean E. Smith Center, called the “Dean Dome.” The university has plans to invest $150,000 in consulting to explore various site options. The Dean Dome opened in 1986 and has 21,750 seats.
Hornets attendance falls: (Biz Journal, subscriber-only) Attendance at Charlotte Hornets home games dropped 4% this year compared with a year earlier. The team averaged 16,449 fans this year. They have the third-worst record in the 30-team NBA.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Inside Charlotte’s private cadaver lab: People from diverse backgrounds engage in hands-on cadaver dissections at Experience Anatomy’s Dissection Club, led by an instructor. The lab aims to democratize access to anatomy education for non-medical professionals.
Developer seeks tax incentives for uptown apartments: Asana Partners, along with MRP Realty, is requesting tax breaks of up to $19M from the city and county to convert the former Duke Energy headquarters in uptown into 448 apartments and retail space.
City council member's band in music festival lineup: Charlotte city council member Tariq Bokhari will perform at the Lovin’ Life Music Festival in uptown next month with his ’90s rock cover band Da704.
Blumenthal Arts launches immersive center: Blumenthal Arts is set to launch an immersive space VR exhibition in September at a rented warehouse in the former Charlotte Pipe and Foundry location. The exhibit marks the beginning of Blume Studios, a new Blumenthal brand in the Iron District.
Wednesday (🔒)
What it takes to launch a major music festival: Next month, Charlotte’s first Lovin’ Life Music Festival is expected to draw 90,000 attendees into uptown May 3-5 to hear performers like Post Malone, Stevie Nicks, Noah Kahan and DaBaby. On a recent episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Bob Durkin of Southern Entertainment shared what it’s been like bringing a large-scale music festival to Charlotte. Listen to the full conversation.
Real Estate Whispers column: The latest installment of Charlotte Commercial Real Estate Whispers covers the Rogers Builders sale, reactions to Vanguard purchasing the Centene campus, Bank of America exiting 13 floors of Fifth Third Center and opposition to a UDO proposal.
Friday (🔒)
Neighborhoods seek escape hatches from development rules: Some Charlotte neighborhoods are exploring legal and political avenues, including deed restrictions and lobbying efforts, to prevent what they perceive as unwanted development, including higher-density housing like duplexes and triplexes.
Residents and local officials talk about stormwater: Mecklenburg County residents met with city and county officials Thursday to address concerns about stormwater flooring in south Charlotte neighborhoods.
Charlotte’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island: Cell phone location data links Charlotte to Jeffery Epstein’s private Caribbean island and a scandal involving a disgraced financier and allegations of sexual abuse and trafficking.
🎧 New podcast episode: Baby Bundles co-founder Emily Harry discusses how Baby Bundles serves Charlotte’s mothers and newborns, avoids “mission creep,” and has stayed true to its core mission.
Ways of Life (🔒)
Jeff Guillebeau’s vision of bringing men together for fitness and fellowship on Saturday mornings blossomed into a global phenomenon with F3 Nation. He died on Jan. 5 at age 59 from heart surgery complications.
Transportation planners are reevaluating the proposed Red Line commuter rail between uptown Charlotte and northern Mecklenburg, updating its planning to reflect changes in development patterns and transportation needs.
Does Charlotte FC have the yips? The team has scored just six goals in seven games so far, which is tied for the second-fewest goals in Major League Soccer among teams that have played seven games.
Correction
An article in the paid version of Friday’s Ledger about a meeting between government officials and residents regarding stormwater incorrectly stated the size of Mecklenburg County. It is approximately 546 square miles.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman, BC Creative