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Twelve years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers took Michael Carter-Williams out of Syracuse with the No. 11 pick. He set a rookie record with nine steals in his debut, and finished his first game with 22 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds.
Standing at 6-foot-5, he looked like a two-way superstar in the making, a perennial menace in passing lanes, and the savior of a struggling Sixers team.
Fast forward to today, and he will now try his luck in a different sport. Now 33 years old, Carter-Williams will face Sam Khativ on May 29 in New York in a three-round heavyweight bout at the Leman Ballroom.
Boxing promoter Ronson Frank even hinted at this potentially being a new career path for the former first-round pick:
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"Michael Carter-William is very proud, athletic and I think he can be successful as an amateur boxer. If he turns professional, that's another story. You have to be a world-class athlete to succeed in the NBA, and if he has that same dedication to boxing, along with his natural athletic ability, he has the potential to succeed," said Frank.
He will join Nate Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal among former NBA players who tried their luck in the ring.
Michael Carter-Williams has no regrets about his NBA career
Carter-Williams was named Rookie of the Year in 2013 after averaging 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. He joined Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson as the only two players to average 16 points, six rebounds and six assists as rookies.
Unfortunately, injuries, a lack of a mid or long-range shot and some tough breaks derailed what could've been an epic career.
Even so, now that he's been out of the league for the past two years and isn't likely to get another shot, he claims to be at peace with what he accomplished in the league:
"I don't play the what-if game anymore," he wrote on The Player's Tribune in May. "I'm at peace with my career. I've had so many accomplishments, and I've lived a life bigger than I could have dreamed. I've met amazing people and am able to give back, which makes me proud. I'm thankful for everything. I don't have no regrets. I really don't."
Carter-Williams played for the Sixers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic. He posted career averages of 10.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
