Rex Chapman: What to Know About the NBA Player Turned Twitter Influencer

Brian Jones

11/17/2020 03:12 pm EST

Rex Chapman played 12 years in the NBA, but most fans most likely know him as a social media influencer. The 53-year-old has over 1 million followers and is known for tweeting a number of viral videos. However, Chapman isn't sure if he likes being called an influencer.

"A social media influencer. I'm not even sure what that means," Chapman said to ESPN earlier this year. "Me, an influencer? Man, I hope not." In March, Chapman had over 580,000 Twitter followers, which is 10 times more than he had one year ago. However, it was one tweet he posted on Jan. 10. 2019 that set everything into motion. On that day, Chapman posted a video of a man on a paddleboard in the ocean while a pack of dolphins approaches him. One of the dolphins leaps out of the air and body checks the man, and Chapman asks if it was a "block or charge?"

"Well, I tapped into maybe arguably the worst rule in basketball," Chapman said. "I wish they would just take it out or amend it greatly. It's a terrible rule, block or charge. I shouldn't be able to stand there and it's a foul. Come on!" Here's what you need to know about Chapman.

The Tweet

Here's a look at the tweet. It received over 5,000 likes and 450 comments. Champman went on to tweet various videos, which led to him being called a social media influencer with over a million followers on Twitter.

Played College Basketball at Kentucky

Chapman was a standout player at Kentucky as he was named to the Parade All-America team in 1986. His nickname was "King Rex" as he was named SEC Freshman of the Year, selected to the All-SEC team twice and recorded a total of 1,073 points.

Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets

(Photo: Jim Gund / Stringer, Getty)

Chapman was drafted No. 8 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 1988 and went on to have a solid rookie year. He averaged 16.9 points per contest and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Slam Dunk Contest Competitor

During his time with the Hornets, Chapman would compete in the 1990 and 1991 Slam Dunk Contest. He earned recognition for his dunks where he'd flip the ball. His best finish was in 1991, placing third behind Shawn Kemp and Dee Brown.

Playing for the Bullets and Heat

(Photo: Noren Trotman / Contributor, Getty)

In the early and mid-1990s, Chapman spent time with the Washington Bullets (1992-1995) and Miami Heat (1995-1996). His best season was in 1993-94 as he averaged a career-high 18.2 points and 3.1 assists per game for the Bullets.

Finishing with the Suns

Chapman played his final four years in the league with the Phoenix Suns. He was forced to retire after the 1999-2000 season due to multiple injuries and declining performance. Chapman finished his NBA career averaging 14.6 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game.

Various Positions

(Photo: Michael Reaves / Stringer, Getty)

Chapman has held a number of different positions over the years. It was recently announced that Chapman will work with JMI Sports on new media content after spending time with the University of Kentucky Sports Network. He has also been the TV presenter on a Block and Charge show, which appeared on Adult Swim.

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