What happened to NBA star Shawn Kemp? Drugs, assault and a disappointing career end

It’s common for today’s NBA fans to think that the athletes in the league today are so much more impressive than the players in previous eras. While that’s largely true, Shawn Kemp was an exception to that logic. The former NBA forward would dunk on anyone and anything during his prime. However, Kemp’s life would dramatically change towards the end of his career and in the years to follow.

Kemp grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, which in some ways makes perfect sense for a basketball prodigy. Indiana is a basketball-obsessed state, and Kemp’s exploits for Concord High School would send fans into a frenzy. Purists would lament the fact that he seemed to be arrogant, but Kemp was so much better than the competition that it often looked like he was showing opponents up.

There was a lot of anticipation that Kemp would play for the University of Indiana, but that’s not what ended up happening. In fact, Kemp didn’t end up playing college basketball, despite attending two different colleges. He was accused of stealing a teammate’s gold chain at the University of Kentucky, which prompted him to transfer to Trinity Valley College. He only spent a semester there.

It’s possible that Kemp’s stock declined somewhat due to him not playing college basketball, but the Seattle SuperSonics still took him in the middle of the first round in the 1989 NBA Draft. Seattle brought him along slowly as a rookie, as Kemp only averaged 13 minutes a game. However, he was unleashed in year two.

Kemp was one of the most exciting players to watch during the 1990’s. His unparalleled combination of power and strength left defenders afraid to challenge him at the rim. He was a main reason why the Sonics got to the NBA Finals in 1996. Kemp made five consecutive All Star teams with Seattle in the decade.

The Finals appearance turned out to be the high point of Kemp’s career. In what turned out to be his last year in Seattle in 1997, the power forward would display a lack of commitment to his profession. He showed up to games hungover and wasn’t in the best of physical shape. As a result, the Sonics decided to trade him to the Cleveland Cavaliers before the 1997-1998 campaign.

Although his statistics with the Cavaliers remained solid, it was clear to basketball fans that the explosiveness Kemp once had with the Sonics was no longer present. To his credit, he used his size to grab rebounds and score with his back to the basket, but those numbers didn’t translate into wins.

During his time with Cleveland and eventually with the Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic, Kemp had a lot of baggage away from the arena. Sports Illustrated reported in 1999 that he had seven children with six different women. Additionally, Kemp had a cocaine addiction that he checked into rehabilitation for during the 2001 NBA season.

Kemp’s NBA career would come to an end, but the vices that got him into trouble continued to be a thorn in his side. In 2005 he was found in possession of cocaine, marijuana and a gun, and was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2006. Things were headed nowhere fast, but Kemp did have one saving grace.

In the city that helped him achieve great fame, Kemp decided to invest in Seattle-based businesses. He has a stake in a few ventures throughout the city, including Amber’s Kitchen. The former NBA star also opened up a dispensary called Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis in the city during the pandemic.

In April 2023, Kemp was accused of shooting at a man who allegedly stole a cell phone. The incident happened at the Tacoma Mall the month prior. The former Sonics star pleaded not guilty to the accusation. According to reports, the man who was the target of the gunfire was not injured in the exchange.