By Brian Abate, Chris DiGeronimo, and Gianluca Milea
We sat down (direct messaged) with longtime NBA vet and Duke basketball legend, Gerald Henderson Jr. After leaving Duke following his Junior season, Henderson was drafted 12th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats. During his NBA tenure, Henderson averaged 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists. His incredibly effective play in Charlotte propelled him to play a key role on some good teams, most notably during the 2015-16 season, when the team finished 48-34 and took a tough Miami Heat team the distance in the first round of the playoffs.
In this inaugural edition of Scrambling, we dive into Gerald’s NBA career, life beyond basketball, and his retirement. However, Henderson never forgot his roots and the time he spent at Duke, where he learned so much that helped him succeed at the next level...
Q: One of my favorite moments from your career was the layup against Belmont in the first round of the 2008 NCAA tournament (Highlights: Duke Escapes Belmont (Courtesy NCAA)). Can you walk us through the emotional roller coaster that was the second half? When preparing for a game like that, is it easy to start thinking ahead, especially as a 2 seed going up against a 15 seed?
A: That was a crazy game... I remember prepping for them and they ran that Princeton offense to a tee. We kept getting back-doored and they kept hitting threes. We had lost to VCU the year before in a big upset so that was definitely on our minds. I didn’t want to lose so I tried to make a big play when I got the rebound. It was almost as if the seas parted and I had a wide-open layup. I remember playing the last 10 games that season with a broken wrist too smh.
Q: What was it like playing for Coach K? How did he prepare you to play in the NBA?
A: Coach K was great. He demands a lot from you and pulls a lot out of you, at least he did that for me. He made me think about the game differently and think about my game differently than I ever had. The biggest thing I learned from him was to be most responsible for my own play. We are a team and everything is about the team, but in preparation I need to worry about how I am most going to impact the game, take responsibility for it and perform to the best of my own ability. And be pissed if I don’t.
Gerald Henderson Jr. came from basketball royalty. His father was a three-time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. Gerald Henderson Sr. quite literally “stole” a game for the Celtics in the 1984 Finals with a stellar defensive play on a lazy James Worthy pass which led to an easy game tying layup.
Henderson Jr. describes the advantages, as well as the difficulties he faced growing up with the incredibly high expectations of others’ constantly looming...
Q: What was it like growing up with a basketball legend as a dad? Was the dream to always make it to the NBA or did you ever want to do anything else for a career?
A: It was great having a dad who played in the NBA. I think I had an advantage over most guys because he had the blueprint and it was just up to me to put in the work. It can be a gift and a curse as well. When I got to high school everyone used to mention his name alongside mine which was great but the expectations became higher. I also wanted to be mentioned with my own accomplishments. My dad was a 13 year vet and three-time NBA champion, so I had a lot to live up to in people’s eyes, but that pushed me. I am grateful for his success because it made me strive to be great.
My dad introduced me to the game of golf when I was seven years old. I played junior golf until I was 14 years old. I was a scratch golfer and decided at 14 that I wanted to take on basketball full-time and could play golf the rest of my life, once I was done. I am doing that now.
Beyond his father, Henderson had plenty of great players to watch growing up. Henderson harps on his favorite players and how he never shied away from competing against his idol…
Q: Other than your dad, did you have any favorite players growing up?
A: Kobe and MJ are my two favorite players.
Q: Was there a player that you looked forward to matching up against?
A: I loved matching up against Kobe. I watched him so much that I felt like I knew his every move. He was hard to guard because he was so good at angles and used his size and strength so well. Once I got in the league he was at the back end of his career and wasn’t as quick but he was so smart.
Q: Where were your favorite places to play in college and in the NBA?
A: Chicago was my favorite place to play. All the jerseys and the championships up in the rafters were great and the history. Back then their introductions were also fire.
Q: You were on the Bobcats when Carmelo Anthony scored 62 points at Madison Square Garden back in 2014. Do you have any particular memories from that historic game?
A: Melo... I remember he would just not stop scoring. Kept shooting. I just got maybe six of those points. I did not match up with him much. He was just too big for me, weighed too much and could shoot over me.
Not only is Henderson well known for his on the court prowess, he and his wife have also built a successful business in Henderson Ventures, a North Carolina based real estate firm. While he does acknowledge genuinely missing playing basketball, Henderson knew it was time to walk away. He has also had the opportunity to remain around the game he loves by joining Fox Sports South and being a part of the Charlotte Hornets broadcast team.
Q: How was the transition from playing to retirement for you?
A: The transition has been smooth because I’ve always prepared for it. I dealt with a lot of injuries when I was playing and as my hip started declining I could see the end was near. There are great stories about hip injuries especially if you don’t have success with your first two surgeries LOL.
Q: Was broadcasting something you always wanted to do after your career or was that an opportunity you just ran with?
A: The broadcasting is something that I’ve always had interest in. It fell in my lap while I was recovering from achilles surgery and I decided to go with it. I had done some training and some stuff on TV before but I was pretty much just thrown out there and I think I did pretty well. I really have enjoyed working with Ashley ShahAhmadi and the rest of the Fox Sports South crew. Dell Curry and Eric Collins are real pros and I have learned a lot from them. I plan on being there next year when the season starts.
Q: Based on your Instagram accounts you have found a passion for real estate. What has post-NBA life been like and how have you enjoyed retirement, while still staying around the game as a broadcaster?
A: My wife and I opened up our real estate firm Henderson Ventures maybe eight months or so ago. That was in the works for some years now. My wife has sold luxury real estate for over 7 years and I’ve done some smaller development, and we have put those two things together to make a full-service real estate firm. We service anyone who wants to buy and sell from all ranges and do residential development now and plan to do more commercial and retail development in the future. I love real estate, have a real passion for it, it’s been in my family for a long time.
Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to readers?
A: I appreciate anyone reading and anyone who’s been a fan of mine throughout the years. Basketball took me everywhere and I’ve learned so much from the game. I love the game. It has done so many great things for me, now that it’s over I definitely do miss it. I miss the games. I do not miss the injuries and the rehab, but that is all part of it. Now that I have moved on I am looking forward to doing other great things with real estate, my philanthropy work and most importantly my family. Thanks for reading.
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