Shawn Kemp retired early due struggles with addiction issues that robbed him of his athleticism. He has been involved in several businesses in Seattle since retiring. The main business now is a marijuana dispensary called Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis. He was arrested for a shooting in 2023 for which he was not charged.
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Was Shawn Kemp Arrested For Shooting At Someone?
Yes, Shawn Kemp was arrested for a drive-by shooting. But he was released when prosecutors declined to pursue charges against him.
On March 8, 2023, the Tacoma, Washington Police Department arrested Shawn Kemp after he was involved in an altercation that led to shots being fired.
Kemp was released from jail the following day when prosecuting attorneys declined to pursue the case. They reserved the right to do so in the future if further investigation supports such a decision.
Following his release, Kemp’s attorney claimed he had items stolen from his car earlier in the week and was able to track his phone to a car in a parking lot.
Kemp then went to the lot to re-claim his stolen materials. When he approached the car, people in it fired at him. The attorney claimed Kemp then fired back in self defense.
Since Kemp was involved in a shooting near a car, police initially arrested him for a drive-by shooting. Washington’s state law on drive-by shooting includes most shootings in or near vehicles.
Again, the next day Kemp was released because prosecutors declined to press charges against him. That decision indicates that prosecutors believed Kemp’s claims of self-defense.
Why Did Shawn Kemp Retire?
Shawn Kemp retired in 2003 because he was no longer the superstar player he had been in his prime. After his trade from Seattle, Kemp’s freakish athleticism disappeared quickly and he was not the same player.
The Reign Man is mostly known for his fierce dunking and athletic play for the Seattle SuperSonics. He played in Seattle from 1989-1997.
But he was more than just a walking highlight. Kemp made six NBA All-Star games and even made three All-NBA 2nd teams. All but one All-Star team was made while he was a Sonic.
He was traded from the Sonics to Cleveland in 1997 at age 27. While he made one more All Star game his first year for the Cavs, it was the beginning of the end for his time as an NBA star.
The insane, outlier athleticism that made Kemp a star in Seattle, faded extremely quickly in Cleveland. That would not normally be expected.
Kemp was 28 in his first season for the Cavs. That is the physical prime for many players. But Kemp’s body fell off a cliff.
He put on a ton of weight in Cleveland. Kemp returned from the NBA lockout in 98-99 weighing over 300 pounds – more than 80 pounds heavier than his prime years in Seattle.
It has been widely reported that Kemp had addiction issues that contributed to his weight gain. Cocaine and alcohol abuse are believed to have quickened Kemp’s physical decline.
After three years in Cleveland, Kemp played two years in Portland. One of his two seasons in Portland was cut short due to a rehab stint.
He was only playing 15-20 minutes per game for those teams and scoring six points per game at ages 31 & 32.
Kemp played one more season for Orlando where he scored a bit less than seven points per game. The team moved on from him at the end of that season.
No other team was willing to give him a shot. Some big men play to nearly age 40 since their position requires less athleticism to succeed at a high level.
Kemp never scored 7 points per game after age 30 in the NBA. This incredible decline is one of the main reasons he never made the Hall of Fame.
Shawn Kemp’s extremely sudden decline is also one of the main reasons he was forced to retire at age 33.
What is Shawn Kemp Doing Now?
Shawn Kemp has opened a series of businesses in Seattle, most recently a marijuana dispensary called Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis.
Comeback Attempts
After his premature retirement, Kemp faced multiple drug arrests. He was arrested for cocaine possession in Seattle in 2005 then was arrested for marijuana in Houston.
At the time, Kemp was splitting time between the Seattle and Houston areas. He made his first comeback attempt at that point.
He had a promising opportunity to potentially join the Mavericks at the tail end of the 2005-2006 season. But Kemp missed a workout and the team lost an appeal to add an extra player to their roster due to injury, so the chance passed.
In June of 2006 Kemp lost weight and attempted another comeback. He was reported to have an opportunity to join the Denver Nuggets but they went in a different direction. The Reign Man was also reported to have a shot with the Bulls, but he missed a workout and lost his last NBA shot.
Kemp made one final comeback attempt in Italy. He signed with an Italian franchise at age 38 and played 3 preseason games before a mutual parting ended that opportunity.
It was his last time playing basketball competitively. It was 2008.
Business Ventures
With his playing career over, Kemp became involved in several businesses in the Seattle area. He is a beloved figure in Seattle and his name certainly helps to draw customers.
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The first was a restaurant and sports bar called Oskar’s Kitchen. The establishment was named for one of Kemp’s pet fish.
Oskar’s Kitchen had some level of success, but the restaurant business is very difficult. After opening in December of 2010, Oskar’s Kitchen closed in July of 2015.
It was not Kemp’s last try. He opened another called Amber’s Kitchen then got involved in the cannabis business.
Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis opened October 30, 2020. Kemp and his Seattle Sonics partner Gary Payton were both there on opening day.
The marijuana store features a Reign Man strain among other products. The store has been wildly successful, but it is not without controversy.
While Shawn Kemp’s name is on the store, he only owns 5% of the business. Main Street Marijuana, a bigger player in the legalized cannabis industry, owns most of the store.
The controversy arose over their decision to publicize the store as a black-owned business when the main owners are not black.
Critics were especially bothered because they believe the legalized cannabis business and its government regulators have mostly locked black owners out of the current goldrush in the industry.
They see Kemp’s name being used to placate critics while not actually changing anything.
For his part, Kemp admits the industry seems to have some discrimination going on but is just happy to have broken into it himself.
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Is Shawn Kemp Married?
Shawn Kemp has been married to Marvena Thomas, the mother of his three youngest children, for twenty years. They have lived in the Seattle area for most of that time.
Kemp and his wife have sold two expensive Seattle area homes in the past few years.
The first house was one they bought in 2003 for $2.4 million. That house was 13,000 square feet and had a tennis court, pool and basketball court. They attempted to sell the home for $3.8 million in 2018 but found no buyers.
Kemp was able to move on from the house in 2019 after a large price decrease. It was listed for $2.5 million and sold on March 26th for $2.38 million.
Interestingly, the Kemps also sold another house in May of 2021. They sold a modern house for $2.2 million. It is not known where they have moved.
Summary: Shawn Kemp Now
Shawn Kemp retired younger than you would expect because he lost his athleticism. After failing in several comeback attempts, Kemp returned to Seattle. In Seattle, the well-loved Kemp has opened several businesses. The most recent and successful business is a marijuana dispensary called Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis.
I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. I write about games, players and seasons from the past.