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Where Are Former Final Four Stars Now?

College Stars Succeeded, Flopped In NBA

Players such as Christian Laettner, Ed O'Bannon and Bobby Hurley helped their teams reach the Final Four during their college careers.

But what are these former NCAA standouts doing now?

Christian Laettner

Regarded as one of the best college basketball players of all time, former Duke star Christian Laettner is most well-known for his last-second shot that lifted the Blue Devils over Kentucky in the East regional final of the 1992 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Laettner played in four consecutive Final Fours with Duke, including the 1991 and 1992 national champion teams. After leaving Duke, Laettner was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves and went on to play for several teams during his NBA career. After retiring from basketball, Laettner became a co-owner with his former Blue Devils teammate Brian Davis of a community development company, Blue Devil Ventures (BDV). Laettner and his wife have two daughters and a son.

Chris Webber

Chris Webber was part of the University of Michigan's Fab Five that played in the national championship during Webber's freshman and sophomore seasons. In 1993, Webber infamously called a timeout in the final seconds of the championship game with his team trailing North Carolina. Michigan didn't have any timeouts remaining, resulting in a technical foul that clinched the victory for the Tar Heels. Webber entered the 1993 NBA draft and was selected as the No. 1 pick by the Orlando Magic. The Magic then traded Webber to the Golden State Warriors. He played for several other teams throughout his NBA career, including the Sacramento Kings, before returning to the Warriors in 2008. Webber retired from basketball in 2008 because of knee problems and then began doing commentary work for TNT.

Michael Jordan

Before Michael Jordan became an NBA legend, he was a star at the University of North Carolina. Playing under Dean Smith, Jordan hit the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA championship against Georgetown. Jordan was taken with the third overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. After ending his legendary NBA career in 2003, Jordan worked in the front office of the Washington Wizards as the director of basketball operations. He was fired in May 2003. He later became a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Patrick Ewing

At Georgetown, Patrick Ewing -- who is regarded as one of the top college basketball players of all time -- helped the Hoyas reach the NCAA title game in three out of his four years at the school. Georgetown won the national crown in 1984. After college, Ewing was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 1985 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. Ewing, who played with the Knicks until 2000 before playing for Seattle and Orlando at the end of his career, was named one of the top players in NBA history. After his retirement in 2002, Ewing worked as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards, the Houston Rockets and the Orlando Magic.

Magic Johnson

Michigan native Earvin "Magic" Johnson led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA title with a victory over Larry Bird and Indiana State in the championship. After college, Johnson went on to have a Hall of Fame career in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson was diagnosed with HIV in 1991. He retired after he announced his illness, but then came back to play in the 1992 All-Star Game. Johnson left the game again for four years before once again returning to the Lakers in 1996. He retired for good after playing 32 games with his long-time team. Since his retirement, Johnson has worked to promote HIV/AIDS awareness. He's also worked on several business ventures, including a promotion company, Magic Johnson Productions. He also worked as an NBA commentator for TNT and ESPN.

Shane Battier

Shane Battier went to two Final Fours while playing at Duke. He led the Blue Devils to the 2001 national title. Battier was drafted by the Grizzlies in the 2001 NBA draft. He played for the team -- both in Vancouver and Memphis -- until 2006, when he was traded to the Houston Rockets.

Mateen Cleaves

Mateen Cleaves, a native of Flint, Mich., was a three-time All-American selection at Michigan State. He led the Spartans to the 2000 national title and was named that year's Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Cleaves was selected in the first round of the 2000 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. After a less than stellar rookie campaign he was traded to Sacramento. He spent time playing sparingly for several other NBA teams before moving to the league's D-League and also playing abroad.

Ed O'Bannon

After leading UCLA to the 1995 NCAA championship, Ed O'Bannon's success did not follow him to the NBA. He was selected ninth in the 1995 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets, where he played for two seasons before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. O'Bannon played one season for the Mavericks before moving on to the Orlando Magic, which released the former Bruins star. After his stint in the NBA, O'Bannon played overseas before retiring. He later moved to Nevada and worked at a Las Vegas car dealership.

Bobby Hurley

Bobby Hurley went to the Final Four with the Duke Blue Devils three times and was part of their back-to-back national championship teams in 1991 and 1992. He was taken as the seventh pick in the 1993 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. His rookie season was disrupted when he suffered life-threatening injuries in a car crash. Hurley returned to the NBA during the 1994-1995 season. He retired several years later and became a thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was previously named Lew Alcindor, led UCLA to national titles in 1967, 1968 and 1969. After leaving the Bruins, Abdul-Jabbar went on to become an NBA legend. He was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 1 pick in the 1969 NBA draft. He played for the Bucks until 1975, when he was acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1989. Abdul-Jabbar, who also dabbled in acting, has served as an assistant to several NBA teams -- including the Lakers -- since his retirement.

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