Late on the night of Feb. 18, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tarheels played the Duke Blue Devils in a thrilling, high-scoring, high anxiety game that led into overtime, when Duke beat UNC 92-90. This was one of the most talked about–and tweeted—games, highlighting one of the biggest rivalries of basketball history.
College basketball stars often pursue careers in industries other than basketball. Take a look at these top five former college basketball players from UNC and Duke who have made boss moves as entrepreneurs in the business world.
Aside from being recognized as the best basketball player of all time, the former UNC Tarheel is also an extremely successful businessman, spokesman, and entrepreneur. In addition to his jaw-dropping professional career in the NBA and appearances in numerous movies and commercials, one of his biggest boss moves was the creation of Air Jordans. Nike produced and designed the sneaker brand for Jordan, releasing it in 1985, and has created another legacy for Jordan in men’s sneakers and the fashion industry. The original five-year deal was worth $500,000 per year, plus royalties, which now generate more than $60 million annually, according to Forbes.
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Grant Hill
When faced with the decision of where to attend college, Hill was conflicted because his mother preferred Georgetown and his father wanted him to go to UNC. Ultimately Hill chose Duke and played basketball there all four years. He was a dominating force on the Blue Devils.
Following graduation, Hill was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as the third pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. He became the team’s first rookie since Isiah Thomas to score 1,000 points during his first season. After 19 seasons in the NBA, appearing in All-Star games, snagging MVP titles, and winning a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, Hill exp
anded his reach by pursuing a career in broadcasting. After successfully battling a life-threatening staph infection that ultimately prevented him from playing longer in the NBA, Hill became a partner in a private investment firm; he is also a prime-time broadcaster on basketball for Turner Sports and co-hosts the popular “NBA Inside Stuff.â€Kenny Smith
Kenny “The Jet†Smith grew up in Queens, New York, and played for the UNC Tarheels during his college years. He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft, as the sixth overall pick. He also played on the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, and Detroit Pistons, winning two NBA championships with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995. During the first game of the 1995 Finals, he made seven three-point shots, including one that tied the game, enabling the Rockets to win 120-118.
Off the court, Smith joined Turner Sports in 1998 to become a broadcaster. He has also joined Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA. He has appeared on other television networks as an analyst and broadcaster and remains in the basketball limelight.
Vince Carter
Carter currently plays on the Memphis Grizzlies. As a former UNC student he spent three years with the Tarheels. The 6-foot-6-inch shooting guard, who also plays small forward, was drafted in 1998 by the Golden State Warriors and was later traded to the Toronto Raptors. He was awarded the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year title, and in the years following he won four Slam Dunk Contests (in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002).
As an eight-time NBA All Star and Hall of Famer, he also has other interests and makes moves off the court, including establishing his Embassy of Hope Foundation. The organization assists families and children in need across various locations in Florida, New Jersey, and Toronto, Canada. As a businessman, he has been endorsed in major corporations including EA Sports, Gatorade, T-Mobile, and his efforts to improve the lives of others were recognized by the Children’s Home Society, giving him the title of “Child Advocate of the Year†in 2000. He (and his mother) also donated $1.6 million to help build a 100-bed treatment center to treat people struggling with addictions to alcohol and other drugs.
Johnny Dawkins
Johnny Earl Dawkins Jr. is a two-time All-American and national player of the year at Duke University. Dawkins played nine seasons in the NBA, beginning in 1986 on the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Detroit Pistons.
As a Blue Devil, he became the team’s all-time leading scorer with 2,556 points, until J.J. Redick surpassed the record in 2006. Following his career in the NBA, Dawkins returned to Duke in 1996 to work as an administrative intern in the athletic department. He became the on-air analyst for the Blue Devils’ home basketball games. In addition, he worked alongside head coach Mike Krzyzewski in 1998, and was promoted to associate head coach in 1999. In April 2008, he became the new head coach at Stanford University, highlighting his newest boss move.