Rex Chapman

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Rex Chapman was born October 5, 1967, in Owensboro, Kentucky. His father, Wayne Chapman, played in the American Basketball Association and coached Kentucky Wesleyan College to two NCAA Division II national championships. Chapman had a turbulent relationship with his father; he and his sister, Jenny, 'used to pray that Wayne's teams would win' so the mood of the house would not be tense, while his mother, Laura, would attempt to defuse the tension. Chapman was a high school basketball star at Apollo High School in Owensboro, Kentucky. During his junior year, Chapman led his team to the state quarterfinals. He racked up numerous awards and accolades his senior year, including Mr. Basketball of Kentucky, Gatorade State Player of the Year, Associated Press Player of the Year, and McDonald's All-American. In 2020, radio host Matt Jones described Chapman as, 'the biggest high school basketball player that ever came from the state.' He was inducted into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Chapman was heavily recruited by many universities, but he chose to stay close to home when he signed with the University of Kentucky. Chapman was a star with the Kentucky Wildcats. His freshman year, he averaged 16 points a game, was named Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year, set a record for points by a freshman, and led the Wildcats to the 1987 NCAA tournament. Chapman improved his sophomore year average to 19 points a game. Chapman, joined by teammates such as future NBA journeyman Winston Bennett, helped lead Kentucky to the SEC title with a 27–6 record. The Wildcats were ranked as the sixth college basketball team in the nation by the AP and UPI and secured the No. 2 seed in the South region of the 1988 NCAA tournament. Kentucky reached the Sweet Sixteen, where Chapman scored a career best 30 points in a losing effort against Villanova. Chapman was named to the All-SEC Team both of his college years and amassed a total of 1,073 points before opting to enter the NBA draft. Chapman left the university as a 'campus legend' with the nickname 'King Rex'. Chapman found the off-court scrutiny and attention difficult. He said he was harassed by other students and the coaching staff for continuing to date his black high school girlfriend. 'It wore on me,' said Chapman, who is white. 'It was hateful.'

In Their Own Story

The 1988 NBA Draft was a defining moment for the new Charlotte Hornets organization. With the eighth overall pick, they selected Rex Chapman, making him the first player ever drafted by the team. The anticipation was palpable as the young star from Kentucky stepped onto the professional stage. In his rookie season, Chapman lived up to the hype, averaging 16.9 points per game and quickly becoming a fan favorite. His athleticism shone brightest during the 1990 and 1991 Slam Dunk Contests, where he dazzled crowds with acrobatic dunks that involved flipping the ball in mid-air. The chemistry between Chapman and the franchise was evident, but fate intervened two-and-a-half seasons later. Midway through the 1991–1992 campaign, a trade sent him to the Washington Bullets for Tom Hammonds. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from making a significant impact in his new home; he managed to participate in only the final game of that season before his time with the Hornets came to an abrupt end.

Reader's Guide

The Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), an expansion team, selected Chapman with the eighth overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft; he became the first player ever drafted by the Hornets. Chapman averaged 16.9 points per game in his rookie season. Chapman competed in the 1990 and 1991 Slam Dunk Contests, earning recognition for his dunks, where he would flip the ball. After parts of four seasons with the Hornets (1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, and half of 1991–92), Chapman was traded midway through the 1991–1992 season to the Washington Bullets. He played 21 games for the Bullets in the 1991–92 season after the trade. On February 19, 1992, the Hornets traded Chapman to the Washington Bullets in exchange for Tom Hammonds. He played 60 games during the 1993–94 season and 45 games during the 1994–95 season. After getting off to a strong start in the 1994–95 season, Chapman injured his ankle. The Bullets traded Chapman, with Terrence Rencher, to the Miami Heat for Ed Stokes and Jeff Webster in June 1995. Chapman averaged 14.8 points per game during the 1995–96 season. On February 23, 1996, he scored 39 points (converting 9-of-10 three-point attempts) and led an injury-plagued Miami Heat team, with an eight-man roster, to a 113–104 victory over the Chicago Bulls, handing the Bulls one of their 10 losses during their historic 72–10 run. Unfortunately, later in the season Chapman found himself on the injured list again and only participated in 56 games. He eventually signed with the Suns. Chapman played in 65 games, and scored 13 points per game for Phoenix for the 1996–1997 season. He played well in the Suns' last four games of the regular season. Chapman had two memorable games against the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round of the play-offs. In Game 1, he set a play-off record for made three-point shots by going 9 for 17 from behind the arc versus the Seattle SuperSonics. This record was later surpassed by Klay Thompson (11) in 2016 and Damian Lillard (12, 2OT) in 2021. In game four, Chapman hit an off-balance three-point shot on an inbounds pass to send the game to overtime, although the Suns went on to lose. Chapman played 68 games during the 1997–1998 season for the Suns, scoring almost 16 points per game. However, he was injured again during the strike-shortened 1999 season, playing 38 games. During his time with the Suns, Chapman bega

Did You Know?

• Chapman was the first player ever drafted by the Charlotte Hornets.
• He set a playoff record for made three-point shots (9) in a game against the Seattle Supersonics.
• Chapman participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest only once, in 1990.