NBA All-Star Vin Baker spent his $100m earnings and now working at STARBUCKS

Home Top

show ad

The Wild West is back: Record drought unveils lost cowboy town that had been submerged under Nevada's Lake Mead since 1935
'The CIA abandoned me in the Afghan desert for being gay': Ex-Navy SEAL says he was bullied by cruel agents who changed his call sign to 'Gay Gay'
REVEALED: Boy, 11, who strangled and killed toddler had a troubled history which included lighting his crib on fire at the age of three and digging up dead animals
Revealed: MORE young adults are living with their parents, with one in three failing to move out despite wage increases and strong job market
Has MH370 finally been found? Air safety investigators have 'high degree of confidence' that debris found in Indian Ocean 3,500 miles from doomed flight's last known location belongs to a Boeing 777
So what really happened to MH370? The SEVEN leading theories of what happened to the missing jet as investigators come tantalisingly close to answers
Swirling currents, cyclonic weather and an air-filled fuselage: How a piece of debris from flight MH370 could have turned up a year later and 6,000km away from where the plane was thought to have crashed
Agonizing last hours of an exhausted and horrifically maimed lion king and one man's deadly vanity that led to its trophy killing
'Are you trying to send a mob?' Mia Farrow accused of irresponsible behavior after posting address of dentist who killed Cecil the lion to Twitter
Dentist who killed Cecil the lion was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee at his practice and settled out of court for $127,500
Another lion killer was director of Bank of England: As world reviles US game hunter, picture that shames a Tory donor and ex-BBC governor
Is this what's in store for Cecil? Inside the Namibian taxidermy factory which stuffs more than 6,000 animals a year for trophy hunters
Ted Nugent hits out at 'stupid' Cecil the lion protesters, saying hunting of Africa's favorite big cat was 'legal & ESSENTIAL'
EXCLUSIVE: Three members of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at UVA who claim they were targeted in false Rolling Stone 'rape' article file defamation lawsuit
Fifth black woman in a month found dead in jail: New York mother accused of stealing crab legs died in cell while husband was waiting upstairs for her court appearance
Campus cop who shot unarmed black man dead is charged with murder - after chilling bodycam video exposed his lies about traffic stop
New York man, 44, arrested for allegedly trying to join ISIS
Wrongly arrested Ferguson prisoner wins appeal to sue cops who beat him and then charged him for BLEEDING on them
'She responded to someone paternal': Woody Allen reveals secret to his 23-year relationship with Mia Farrow's adopted daughter... which at first he thought was 'just a fling'
No woman over 20 should wear a bikini! Obsessing about your beach body? Janet Street-Porter says it's time to face reality
Are airport security checks a total waste of time? Tests show TSA 96% failure rate in spotting weapons
Father-of-two Law & Order director is charged with child sex abuse for sharing explicit video online of girls as young as SIX
'Rape doesn't make him a bad husband - it makes him a criminal': Woman who was told by judge to 'forgive' husband who drugged and raped her speaks out about her ordeal
$NEW YORK, 31/05/11\n************WORLD RIGHTS ONLY*******\nPICTURES BY: \nZZT-MISHA-TIM/EAGLEPRESS\nFEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR PUBLICATION\nNO WEB USE WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT\nPLEASE CREDIT ALL USES\n----------------------------------\nSARAH PALIN STOPPED BY DONALD TRUMP'S UPPER WEST SIDE CONDO BEFORE GOING OUT FOR DINNER WITH THE REALITY TV REAL ESTATE MAGNATE AND HIS FAMILY. PALIN'S YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, PIPER, WAS THERE AS WELL. PALIN WAS JOINED BY HER PARENTS, AS WELL AS TRUMP'S WIFE MELANIA\n----------------------------------\nCONTACT: WWW.EAGLEPRESS.US\nKATE +1 917 7100219\nkate@eaglepress.us\nphotos@eaglepress.us\nINFO +1 917 7100494$ 'She's really a special person': Donald Trump says he would give Sarah Palin a cabinet job because she's 'tough and smart'

Vin Baker earned a staggering $100million during his 13-year NBA career
But toward end of career, he descended into alcoholism and lost fortune
Now, father of three, 43, is working at Starbucks in a Rhode Island town
He is currently a barista - but is training to manage one of chain's stores
He thanks Starbucks CEO and ex-Seattle Supersonics owner for chance
Baker, from Connecticut, is four-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist
As well as Supersonics, he starred for Milwaukee Bucks and NY Knicks

By Sophie Jane Evans For Dailymail.com

Published: 22:41 EST, 29 July 2015 | Updated: 02:07 EST, 30 July 2015

View
comments

He earned a staggering $100million during his 13-year NBA career.

But now, Vin Baker is working at Starbucks in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, it has emerged.

The four-time All-Star, who enjoyed a glittering career before descending into alcoholism and losing his fortune, is currently serving as a barista - but is training to manage one of the chain's stores.

He thanks Starbucks CEO and chairman Howard Shultz - the owner of the Seattle SuperSonics (now, the Oklahoma City Thunder) when Baker played for them - for the 'excellent' opportunity.

Career change: Vin Baker (pictured talking to fans at a summer block party in Milwaukee last month) is working as a barista at Starbucks in Rhode Island. He is training to manage one of the chain's stores

NBA star: Baker (seen playing for the Seattle SuperSonics during a game against the Houston Rockets in Texas in 1998), enjoyed a glittering career before descending into alcoholism and losing his $100m fortune

'In this company there are opportunities for everyone. I have an excellent situation here at Starbucks and the people are wonderful,' six-foot-11 Baker told the Rhode Island Providence Journal.

'I love North Kingstown. It reminds me of my hometown, so it’s comfortable. I like this community.'

The father of four added: 'When you learn lessons in life, no matter what level you’re at financially, the important part to realize is it could happen. I was an alcoholic, I lost a fortune.

'I had a great talent and lost it. For the people on the outside looking in, they’re like "Wow". For me, I’m 43 and I have four kids. I have to pick up the pieces. I'm [also] a minister in my father’s church.'

Born in 1971, Baker played for his high school in Connecticut, before accepting a scholarship from the Hartford Hawks and later becoming part of the North Atlantic Conference All-Rookie Team.

Gratitude: Baker thanks Starbucks CEO and chairman Howard Shultz (pictured) - the owner of the Seattle SuperSonics (now, the Oklahoma City Thunder) when Baker played for them - for the 'excellent' opportunity

Defense: Baker is pictured (left, in red) playing for the Los Angeles' Clippers against Dallas Mavericks' Jerry Stackhouse and (right) arriving at court in July 2007 after being charged with drunk driving a month earlier

He went on to enjoy a successful career on the court, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics before being traded to the Boston Celtics. In 2000, he won Olympic gold.

During his time with the Celtics, Baker was forced to admit he was a recovering alcoholic after his weight ballooned, his game performance worsened and his coach smelled alcohol on him.

According to the Boston Globe, the team's coach Jim O'Brien confronted Baker about his alcohol habits after smelling it on him. The star was suspended from the Celtics, and later released.

He went on to play for the New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was eventually released from the Timberwolves in November 2006.

Location: 'In this company there are opportunities for everyone, ' Baker said. Above, The Starbucks that the ex-NBA star is working at is believed to be based at this shopping mall on Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown

Toward the end of his career, Baker, now 43, wiped out nearly his entire $100million of earnings through his alcohol dependence and what the Journal describes as a 'series of financial missteps'.

These included a failed restaurant and financially detrimental partnerships with others.

In 2011, Baker became an assistant high school boys' basketball coach in Connecticut.

In 2013, he told the New York Daily News that he had been leading a double life as an alcoholic.

In this company there are opportunities for everyone. I have an excellent situation here at Starbucks and the people are wonderful

Vin Baker

'Everything in my being, from my smell, to my game, to my attitude was that of an alcoholic,' Baker told the News. 'When people ask me if I’m OK, am I $100 million OK? No, I’m not.'

'I’m never going to be $100 million (OK). But I’m comfortable financially,' he added.

Speaking to the Journal, Baker said every day as a recovering alcoholic is a challenge.

But he said he was proud of his will to recover and provide for his wife and their family - and hopes it inspires others.

'I have to take the story and show that you can bounce back. If I use my notoriety in the right way, most people will appreciate that this guy is just trying to bounce back in his life,' he said.

He added that young NBA stars, who are getting paid millions, should surround themselves with the people they trust the most - and monitor 'every dime' that goes out of their bank accounts.