Rashad McCants, who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, explained how dating a Kardashian messed him up profesionally.
Ex-NBA player says dating Khloe Kardashian 'derailed' his career originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Former NBA guard Rashad McCants says his brief relationship with Khloe Kardashian came at a cost he believes went far beyond tabloid attention. In his view, the timing and culture of the league during his playing days turned off-court visibility into a professional liability.
McCants, who was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005, has said that players in his era were expected to keep a low profile unless they were established superstars. Any perceived distraction, he argues, could quickly be held against someone still trying to secure a foothold in the league.
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Speaking with Basketball Network’s Nick Raguz, McCants explained how celebrity relationships were viewed differently before the rise of social media and player branding. “Before, it was a distraction,” he said. “The powers didn’t want players doing anything outside of the NBA that would be considered a distraction. You didn’t see a lot of guys dating celebrities unless they were high-profile players.”
According to McCants, that distinction mattered. Playing in a small market while dating someone already famous brought scrutiny he felt he couldn’t afford. “For me, not being a high-profile guy and being in Minnesota, it was more of a distraction than a compliment,” he said. “I was one of the early bloomers for all of those things, and it didn’t help my situation.”
On the court, McCants’ NBA run was short and uneven. Injuries and inconsistent minutes limited his opportunities, and he averaged 9.9 points per game across four seasons with the Timberwolves. As teams turned over rosters and leaned toward younger players, his role diminished, and his NBA career ended after the 2008-09 season.
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The former guard also pointed to how much the league has changed since then. Today’s NBA encourages players to build brands, embrace social media, and expand their visibility, regardless of market size. In McCants’ telling, that shift highlights how different the environment was when he was trying to establish himself.
Category: General Sports
