NBA stars of the ’90s: Where are they now?

Getty Images / Collage: Simplemost

With viewer numbers for professional basketball games surging in the past year, the NBA is more popular than ever before. But you know what? Pro basketball has always held a place in our hearts. In fact, the names of ’90s NBA greats like Michael, Shaq and Penny still resonate in the minds of people who watched the NBA during that magical decade. And don’t even get us started on memories of “The Dream Team,” or we’ll be here all day.

But what are those ’90s basketball greats up to today? It turns out many are still involved in the game in one way or another. Let’s take a look at some of NBA icons from the ’90s and see what they’ve been doing since they hung up their sneakers.

David Robinson (Then)

Another member of both ’90s “Dream Teams,” David Robinson, aka “The Admiral,” spent 20 seasons in the league, all with the San Antonio Spurs. He was a 10-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion who led the league in scoring in 1994.

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David Robinson (Now)

Not many people can say they founded their own school, but David Robinson can! In 2001, he founded the George Washington Carver Academy, a private school serving kids in San Antonio. He also runs a venture capital fund called Admiral Capital Group. He’s been married to his wife, Valerie, since 1991. They have three sons together.

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Getty Images | Jamie McCarthy

Michael Jordan (Then)

One of the more obscure former players on this list, you may have missed Michael Jordan’s NBA career if you weren’t paying close attention. All joking aside, Jordan is considered to be arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, racking up more than 32,000 points, six NBA titles and 14 All-Star Game appearances during his 15 years playing for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.

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Michael Jordan (Now)

Where to begin with MJ’s post-NBA life? Since retiring for good in 2003, he’s continued to make an estimated $100 million a year thanks to his various endorsements, including Nike’s Air Jordan line, leading to his status as a billionaire. Since 2006, Jordan has also been the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. But 2006 wasn’t all good for Jordon. That year, he also went through what was considered the most expensive divorce of all time, with his ex-wife getting more than $150 million in a settlement. In 2013, he married model Yvette Prieto.

michael jordan nba photo
Getty Images | Streeter Lecka

Chris Mullin (Then)

A member of the legendary 1992 “Dream Team” that won basketball gold for Team USA in the Olympics, the sharp-shooting Chris Mullin averaged 18.2 points over his 16-season NBA career. He was a five-time All-Star and is considered an icon in Golden State Warriors lore. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame dubbed him “the poster boy for gym rats everywhere” when he was inducted in 2011.

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Chris Mullin (Now)

Chris Mullin’s post-playing life is still dominated by basketball. After working in the front office for the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, he became head coach for the men’s basketball team at his alma mater, St. John’s University, in 2015. Like others on this list, he also spent time as an NBA commentator, working for ESPN starting in 2010. He and his wife, Liz, have four kids.

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Getty Images | Andy Lyons

Gary Payton (Then)

Known for his tough style and ruthless defense, Gary Payton is one of only four players in NBA history to be selected to the NBA all-defensive team nine times. He was best known for his 13 years with the Seattle SuperSonics, which spanned the entire 1990s. He also won two gold medals with Team USA.

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Gary Payton (Now)

Like some other NBA legends on this list, Gary Payton spent some time in TV broadcasting after his retirement in 2007. Since the SuperSonics left Seattle in 2008, Payton has been involved with trying to bring the NBA back to his adopted hometown. He has four children and remains friends with his ex-wife, Monique.

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Getty Images | Mike Coppola

John Stockton (Then)

One of the ultimate workhorses in NBA history, John Stockton played 19 seasons in the NBA and didn’t miss a game for 17 of them. He played his entire career with the Utah Jazz, where he became arguably the greatest pure point guard in the league, leading the NBA in assists for nine straight years. He also won two gold medals as a member of both the 1992 and 1996 “Dream Teams.”

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John Stockton (Now)

Stockton has stayed quieter than other ’90s NBA legends since retiring in 2003. He wrote a book, has spent some time coaching youth sports and has dabbled in business. In 2015, he joined the coaching staff for Montana State University women’s basketball, where his daughter was playing. Stockton and his wife, Nada, have been married more than 30 years and have six kids.

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Getty Images | Mike Coppola

Scottie Pippen (Then)

Often painted as Michael Jordan’s right-hand man during the pair’s six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in the ’90s, Scottie Pippen earned a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame on his own merits. When Jordan was off playing baseball, Pippen led the Bulls to 55 wins and a playoff run in 1994. Regarded as a great defender and scorer, Pippen was a seven-time All-Star who scored nearly 19,000 points in his career and once led the league in steals.

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Scottie Pippen (Now)

A couple years after retiring in 2008, Pippen was honored with a statue at Chicago’s United Center, further cementing his legacy with the Bulls. In 2012, the team gave him a job as senior advisor to its president and COO. He’s also appeared in several movies and TV shows, including “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Chicago Fire.” Pippen has been married to Larsa Pippen for more than 20 years, and they share four kids. He has three other children from other relationships.

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Getty Images | Phillip Faraone

Muggsy Bogues (Then)

One of the most unlikely NBA stars ever, ’90s favorite 5-foot-3-inch Muggsy Bogues is the shortest person to ever play in the league. He spent 14 seasons in the NBA, becoming a star in his 10 seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. He still holds the records for most minutes played, steals and assists in that franchise’s history.

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Muggsy Bogues (Now)

After retiring in 2001, Muggsy Bogues worked in the advertising and real estate fields before getting back into basketball. In 2005, he was named head coach of the WNBA’s now-defunct Charlotte Sting. In addition to his role in 1996’s classic “Space Jam,” Bogues also had a fantastic cameo in HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” His personal life took some amazing twists too. In 1989, he married Kim, a chef with whom he has two kids. The couple split in 1997 but found each other again and remarried more than a decade later, after Bogues’ second wife died of cancer.

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Getty Images | Brad Barket

Grant Hill (Then)

After an amazing college basketball career at Duke, Grant Hill had one of the biggest what-if NBA careers of the 1990s. He was named to seven NBA All-Star teams and averaged 21.6 points per game for the first six seasons of his career with the Detroit Pistons — but injuries kept him off the court for much of his prime, leaving him with no NBA titles.

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Grant Hill (Now)

Like many of his fellow ’90s basketball greats, Hill became an NBA commentator, hosting “Inside Stuff” on NBA TV and working as a college basketball commentator. But unlike many other players, he also went on to become a team owner. In 2015, he was part of a group that purchased the Atlanta Hawks for $850 million. Hill also had a close relationship with the Obamas during their time in the White House. Since 1999, he’s been married to Canadian singer Tamia, with whom he shares two daughters.

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Getty Images | Pool

Reggie Miller (Then)

Anyone who watched basketball in the ’90s remembers Reggie Miller as a player they either loved or loved to hate. He was one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, spending his entire 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers. He was also well known for his gift of trash talking and his rivalry with New York Knicks super-fan Spike Lee.

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Reggie Miller (Now)

Reggie Miller was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after retiring from the NBA, like many players on this list. He hung up his jersey in 2005 and has worked as a commentator for TNT’s NBA coverage since then. Miller is extremely private in his personal life. He has two young kids, including a 2-year-old girl and a son named Ryker.

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Getty Images | Allen Berezovsky

Hakeem Olajuwon (Then)

One of the most dominant players in the history of college basketball and the NBA, Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon won two titles with the Houston Rockets in the ’90s, was a 12-time All-Star and remains the all-time blocks leader in NBA history. He retired in 2002.

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Hakeem Olajuwon (Now)

Since ending his playing career, Olajuwon has continued to help other NBA players at his camps, including Yao Ming, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. He’s also had great success in real estate, making more than $100 million in profits from his sales of land in the Houston area. He now lives part-time in Jordan with his wife and their two daughters, and he also has a grown daughter from a previous relationship, 6-foot-4 Abi Olajuwon, who played basketball in the WNBA.

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Getty Images | Bob Levey

Gheorghe Muresan (Then)

Romanian-born Gheorghe Muresan certainly stuck out during his short run in the NBA from 1993 to 2000, mostly with the then-Washington Bullets. Towering at 7-feet-7-inches tall, he is tied as the tallest player in NBA history. During his career, he even took some time out to co-star in a movie with Billy Crystal, 1998’s “My Giant.” Photos of Muresan next to other NBA players are pretty funny — check him out below next to 6-foot-8 Scottie Pippen!

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Gheorghe Muresan (Now)

Since injuries forced him to retire from the NBA, Muresan has stayed involved in basketball. He runs a basketball academy in Virginia and does public relations work for the Washington Wizards. He’s also written books on children’s fitness. Muresan lives in the Washington area with his wife, with whom he shares two sons. The entire family is tall, with his wife, Liliana, being the “shortest” member at 6-feet-1-inches tall.

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Shaquille O’Neal (Then)

Equally known for his charisma as for his ability to shatter backboards, Shaq was one of the most popular and dominant players in NBA history. He won four titles in his career, which spanned from 1992 to 2011. While he was playing, he also appeared in movies, released rap albums and had his own video game.

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Shaquille O’Neal (Now)

As you probably expected, Shaq has stayed busy and remained in the public eye since retiring from basketball. Since 2011, he’s been an analyst for TNT’s Emmy-winning “Inside the NBA.” He’s also earned a doctorate degree in education and has spent time as an honorary sheriff’s deputy. In 2009, his seven-year marriage to wife Shaunie Nelson ended in divorce. He has five children.

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Getty Images | Frazer Harrison

Charles Barkley (Then)

Only in the NBA could a person who was 6-feet-6-inches tall be considered “short” for his position, but Charles Barkley was just that. He was one of the most aggressive players in league history, rebounding better than most 7-footers. He was named to 11 All-Star games and was NBA MVP in 1993. His jersey was retired by both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns.

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Charles Barkley (Now)

Since retiring from the NBA in 2000, Barkley has worked as an analyst for TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” for which he has won several Emmys. He’s also hosted his own show on TNT called “American Race” and has worked as a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. Barkley is very private about his personal life, but it’s been reported that he and wife Maureen have been married since 1989 and have a daughter together.

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Getty Images | Allen Berezovsky

Patrick Ewing (Then)

A New York basketball icon, the hard-nosed Patrick Ewing spent 15 of his 17 NBA seasons with the Knicks. He was regarded as a fierce defender who collected more than 11,000 rebounds to go with more than 24,000 points.

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Patrick Ewing (Now)

Patrick Ewing — or “Patrick Chewing,” as he was called in a classic 2009 Snickers ad — has stayed involved in basketball at the highest levels. Since retiring in 2002, he’s worked as an assistant coach for four NBA teams and, in 2017, was hired as head men’s basketball coach at his alma mater, Georgetown University. In 1998, he and then-wife Rita split. The couple shared two daughters and Ewing also has a son from a previous relationship.

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Getty Images | Mitchell Layton

Penny Hardaway (Then)

His NBA career was derailed by injuries, but many ’90s basketball fans still think about Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway’s dazzling skills. The six seasons he spent with the Orlando Magic, from 1993–1999, made him a household name because he averaged 19 points per game and led the team to its first NBA Finals appearance. Hardaway and teammate Shaq made the Magic one of the must-watch teams of the decade and, I must admit, his was the first NBA jersey I ever owned.

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Penny Hardaway (Now)

Since retiring in 2008, Hardaway has stayed involved in basketball. In 2010, he went back to his hometown of Memphis to coach his former middle school’s basketball team for free as the coach, a friend of Hardaway’s, was being treated for cancer. From there, he coached a Memphis high school basketball team to multiple state titles and was eventually hired to coach at his alma mater, the University of Memphis. In 2012, he was part of a group, along with Peyton Manning, that bought the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. Away from the court, Hardaway has a basketball-playing son whom he has coached, and at least two daughters.

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Getty Images | Isaac Brekken

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About the Author
Clint Davis
Clint has watched way too many TV shows and movies and makes a great partner for trivia night. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, baby son and two massive dogs.

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