Derek Anderson: The RESILIENT Career Story of an ORIGINAL TEAM JORDAN Member | FPP

While no member of Michael Jordan’s Original Team Jordan had particularly remarkable careers (outside of Ray Allen), Derek Anderson’s might be the most forgotten; and at face value, it makes sense as the numbers don’t jump out at you. But, Anderson went through an incredibly difficult childhood, then after beginning his college career with the Ohio State Buckeyes, before tearing his ACL as a sophomore. He would then transfer to Kentucky to play with the likes of Antoine Walker, Tony Delk and Ron Mercer on the team dubbed “The Untouchables” by head coach Rick Pitino. Anderson played a major role in the Kentucky Wildcats 1996 NBA Championship, but unbelievably would tear his other ACL as a senior. Even so, Anderson would become a first round pick and go on to play in the NBA for over a decade, teaming with the likes of Shawn Kemp, Lamar Odom, Tim Duncan and Rasheed Wallace. While he was never able to be a consistent player, he was a shot creator and a phenomenal slasher, and if he got close enough to the rim, he was going to try to dunk on whoever was in his way, as he was often times successful. His best years were spent with the Portland Trailblazers during their Jailblazers era, yet he would also spend a solid year with the San Antonio Spurs earlier in his career; and would even win an NBA Championship with the Shaq and D Wade Miami Heat in 2006. Anderson’s career is remembered, and maybe more so forgotten now for what it was, but it should be remembered for what it could have been in more than one way. As his physical gifts and resiliency could have seen him become great had it not been for his constant injuries, yet the adversity he dealt with could have also seen him abandon basketball and go down a much worse path. And even if one can’t appreciate Derek Anderson’s on court career, you have to appreciate his story.

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