Professional basketball player, Birdman, broke boundaries with the Denver Nuggets, embodying their robust defender, before being suspended from the league for a two-year span.
Hoo-ah, It's Birdman!
Chris Andersen was as unique as they come in the NBA.
His look was a definitive, and in many ways iconic, aspect of NBA history.
The acrobatic high-flyer with the 7-foot-2 wingspan, covered in tattoos from head to toe, with spiked hair, earned him the nickname Birdman when he played for the Denver Nuggets in the early 2000s.
Birdman swiftly became a household name in the Association, but his journey was by no means straightforward.
Andersen initially went undrafted straight out of high school before catching on with the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league squad in 2001.
Dive Deeper into the Paint
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Birdman would go on to have a 15-year career in the NBA, with seven of those coming in Denver, during two separate stints. However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for Andersen.
The Interrupted Flight
He was suspended mid-career from 2006 to 2008 for violating the league's anti-drug policy. The suspension posed a potential risk of expulsion from the league under the NBA's collective bargaining agreement due to his actions falling under the "drugs of abuse" category.
Andersen appealed the ruling for over two years before the NBA Players Association finally granted his request to be reinstated.
Birdman played ten more years in the league after his two-year hiatus, including becoming an NBA champion as a member of the Miami Heat in 2013 alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
Although he is most widely remembered for his time in the Mile High City. There, Birdman was the team's enforcer, bully, high-flyer. Birdman didn't back down from anyone.
The days of Birdman patrolling the paint in the Mile High city are long gone. The current Denver Nuggets squad is steered by one of the most talented players in the game – Nikola Jokic.
Jokic brought the city its first championship and currently remains the best player in the game today. Jokic and the Nuggets are now battling the Oklahoma City Thunder in the postseason's second round. They snatched Game 1 in OKC and will aim to repeat that performance in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
- Chris Andersen, nicknamed Birdman, had a unique and iconic presence in the NBA, known for his acrobatic high-flying style and distinctive appearance, which earned him that nickname while playing for the Denver Nuggets in the early 2000s.
- After going undrafted, Andersen played for the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league squad and the Phoenix Suns before being drafted by the Fayetteville Patriots, the first D-League player to be called up by an NBA team, signing with the Denver Nuggets later that year.
- Despite his success, Andersen faced challenges in his career, such as a two-year suspension from 2006 to 2008 for violating the league's anti-drug policy. He fought to be reinstated and returned to the NBA, becoming an NBA champion with the Miami Heat in 2013.
- As a member of the Denver Nuggets, Andersen was known for his fierceness and high-flying plays, but his days with the team have passed, and the current Denver Nuggets squad is led by Nikola Jokic, who brought the city its first championship and is considered one of the best players in the game today.
