12:23pm|reblogged from SportsCentr:
Vin Baker, who was quite good (21 and 10 in ‘96-97!) until alcohol derailed his career, and led him to bankruptcy.
(Three Bs: Babes, Basketball, Ballers).
In a sense, Baker’s 99-00 season is one of the most impressive athletic displays we’ve seen, as he averaged 16 and 8 and played 36 minutes a game, as a full-blown alcoholic. I could see playing baseball or golfing with a severe drinking problem, but showing up drunk to games and then sprinting up and down the court for more than three quarters? That shows amazing natural talent and a cast-iron stomach. Best of all, he still shot a solid 46% from the field, which means most of Baker’s ill-advised shots were taken before the game in bars, not out on the hardwood.
