One of the unforeseen consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is that several standout basketball players had to find jobs away from the game.
Without the NCAA tournament, many players on the fringe of a potential NBA deal were not able to improve their draft stock. Afterward, many college players who would have previously pursued a professional path overseas were unable to do so due to travel restrictions.
Similarly, the NBA’s G League had fewer roster spots available than they had in previous years because their bubble location only 17 teams reported to the bubble location in Florida.
HoopsHype caught up with two former NCAA standouts, Anfernee McLemore and Dachon Burke, who were among the many who quit basketball and get a real job after school.
McLemore played four seasons of high-major college basketball at Auburn, where he led the SEC in blocks per game (2.1) as a sophomore and enjoyed a trip to the Final Four as a junior.
Burke, meanwhile, was a fantastic college player who had experience playing at a mid-major (Robert Morris) then at a high-major (Nebraska). The 6-foot-4 wing led his conference in steals, defensive win shares and box plus-minus when he was a sophomore before averaging more than 12.0 points per game in the Big Ten.
Both were on the radar for NBA scouts and evaluators and both expected to turn pro after college. They, however, instead pursued alternative routes to earn money during a time so drastically impacted by a pandemic.
After college, McLemore took on work as an internal portfolio manager for Regions Bank in Birmingham, Alabama. Burke opened a clothing store in Nebraska while keeping his options open to potentially play basketball at the professional level.
Here is what McLemore and Burke told HoopsHype about their first year away from the game – and why they made the decision that they did.
Please note this interview was minorly edited in its transcript for clarity.
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