Thanks to his countless tattoos, the former NBA player left an indelible mark on the minds of a generation of fans.
Andersen, Chris "Birdman" The name just mentioned is tinged with mystical and often idolized for NBA fans from a few years ago. Together with Metta World Peace and JR Smith, the former long-time teammate of LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the most 'curious' figures seen on a parquet. Andersen has had a decent career as a professional player since joining the League in 2001-02. He has taken away more than one satisfaction.
Coming from a poor family, the Long Beach (California) native lived the American dream: his father fled to New York when he was still a child, and his mother became depressed while caring for the children. Chris, on the other hand, has defied all odds, securing a spot in the NBA when no one expected it. His extravagances are merely a symptom of a larger personality. His tattoos, too, tell a story. So let's check out Chris Andersen's oddities. The Birdman!
10. Has tattoos on 65 percent of his body.
Let's begin with the feature that most distinguishes the individual. His body is covered in tattoos to the tune of 65 percent. This was revealed by John Slaughter, Andersen's tattoo artist, who also decided to display all of the work done on the same former player in PETA's "Ink Not Mink" ad campaign to protest the fur industry. Birdman's first tattoo, a small outline curiosity, was given to him by his mother on his 18th birthday.
9. Won an NBA title with LeBron James
Andersen, who had spent his entire career chasing a dream, achieved his goal of winning an NBA championship at the age of 34 with the Miami Heat jersey during the 2012/2013 season. After arriving in Florida after his time in Denver, the center has proven to be an asset to LeBron's team, elevating the defensive choral level. Andersen averaged 4.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 42 appearances while shooting 57.7% from the field. Miami defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals in a memorable series that ended in Game 7.
8. Was disqualified for doping
Andersen was banned for a few years during his career in 2006 after testing positive for a surprise League doping test. The player, who faced a much longer suspension as a result of the NBA's strict rules on the subject, never denied making the mistake.
On March 4, 2008, the NBA and the NBPA granted Andersen's request to be reinstated as a player. The next day, the Californian signed a new contract with the New Orleans Hornets, and on March 25 of that year, he finally returned to the court, putting an end to a two-year nightmare. Andersen signed with the Denver Nuggets for a new chapter in his career in the 2008 offseason.
7. Forgot to make himself officially eligible for the 1999 Draft
To summarize Chris Andersen's career, he dropped out of Blinn College in Texas in 1999 after a year to pursue a professional basketball career. He did, however, forget to declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft that same year, effectively eliminating any chance of entering the league directly.
His high school coach, on the other hand, was able to arrange exhibition games with the Texas Ambassadors and a game in China, where he briefly joined the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association. Despite this difficult path, Andersen made it to the major leagues after a couple of seasons in the minors.
6. The first player to move from the D-League to the NBA
Concerning the previous point, Andersen had to look for new opportunities to build a decent basketball career after 'forgetting' about the 1999 Draft. He played in China in 1999 before returning to the United States to join the IBL's New Mexico Slam.
He then spent time in IBA with the Fargo-Moorhead Beez tank top before being selected first overall in the new D-League Draft by the Fayetteville Patriots. Andersen only suited up for three games with the Patriots before signing a contract with the Denver Nuggets in November 2001, marking his NBA debut. He was the first player to make the jump from the Development League to the Professional League.
5. His nickname "Birdman"
It's unclear where his nickname came from or who gave it to him. During the first Denver Nuggets tank top adventure, the nickname appeared uncanny. "The Birdman" is most likely a reference to Andersen's athletic ability to fly and his illegal "wingspan." We also recall that the former NBA player competed in the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest, but did not perform well.
4. While disqualified, he spent time getting tattooed
Andersen spent some of his free time going back and forth to his tattoo artist, filling his body with small works of art, during his two years of basically having nothing to do.
3. A lover of Chinese symbols
Chris has always had a special connection to Chinese symbology, which stems from his first basketball experience, as previously mentioned. Andersen returned to the United States intending to abandon a recent piercing to rediscover the world of tattoos and Chinese symbolism.
2. Retired in 2017
Following a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee, Chris Andersen announced his retirement from the NBA in 2017. From that point forward, all traces of the former Miami vanished. After recovering from his injury the following summer, the player decided to compete in the BIG3 championship, which he won in 2018. Ice Cube named him the best defender in the league he created.
1. The $16 million worth of assets
According to some specialized sites, the 43-year-old would have earned roughly 33 million dollars (gross) throughout his 14-year career. Andersen's highest-paid season was 2010-11, with a $ 4.53 million contract. Simply put, the former player's current assets would be worth $16 million. Chris' most recent real estate purchase was in 2013 when he purchased a $ 1.89 million home in Miami, where he won his first and only NBA championship. Birdman tried to sell his mansion for $ 3.94 million later on.
