It isn’t often a retired NBA player shows up at his alma mater’s practice to provide a pep talk before the team’s biggest game of the year.
But that’s exactly what happened Wednesday night when Chris Whitney spoke to the Christian County Colonels ahead of their Friday night showdown with Hopkinsville for the last time at Lyle Dunbar Gym.
Whitney, who played 11 years in the NBA after an All-ACC career at Clemson, said he was honored to be able to share his experience as a Colonel with the team.
Whitney is a 1989 graduate of Christian County High School who recently started a real estate company and has begun building homes for low income families in Hopkinsville and in Robinson, Ill., where he played two years of junior college basketball at Lincoln Trail.
The former Colonels’ star said he is proud of his Christian County heritage.
While talking to the Colonels on Wednesday, Whitney pointed out that he never lost to Hopkinsville. He said the rivalry with the Tigers started with him because his uncle, Nick Pettus, played for Hoptown and Whitney always wanted family bragging rights.
Whitney spent his first two seasons in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs before playing eight seasons with the Washington Bullets/Wizards. During his time in D.C., he played with Michael Jordan.
He also played one season split between the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic before retiring with the Wizards following the 2004 season.
Photos by Joe Wilson