What Happened to Michael Redd?

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The 2000s was a decade rife with All-Star guards. The pack was led by Kobe Bryant, then followed by Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson, Manu Ginobili, Chris Paul, and the others, not necessarily in that order. But among these names is a rarely-mentioned individual: Michael Redd. What happened to Michael Redd after his NBA playing days were over?

What is Michael Redd Known ForWhat is Michael Redd Known For?

In his physical prime in the NBA, you can’t find many shooters as good as Michael Redd. His long-distance shooting was pristine, and he was one of those players who were comfortable shooting threes in volume. In his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, the lefty Redd once averaged almost six attempts from distance in a game, shooting 37%.

Redd’s development as one of the league’s premier scorers was nothing less than remarkable. He was picked in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft, 43rd overall, out of Ohio State. Redd was viewed chiefly as a defensive guy, but his offensive chops were apparent even when he was with the Buckeyes.

With the Bucks, Redd was behind Ray Allen in the depth chart, so he couldn’t contribute much as a rookie. But because of his brilliant showing in practices, coach George Karl increased his role in his second season. He was still primarily coming off the bench, but Redd averaged 11 points on 44% shooting from deep in 21 minutes. 

Allen was eventually traded to the Seattle Supersonics, paving the way for a starring role for Redd in Milwaukee. He began a string of six straight seasons averaging at least 21 points. Redd was named an All-Star in 2004 and subsequently to the All-NBA Third Team in the same year. 

Redd remained the main gun for the Bucks but experienced little playoff success. Milwaukee made three postseason appearances with Redd as the leader, but they were all first-round exits. Couple that with injury issues, and you have a recipe for disaster. 

However, the lefty scorer was named among the 12 players in the Redeem Team that won gold in the 2008 Olympics. His Olympic journey alone made for a fascinating story. Redd just finished practice in Milwaukee and had to go to Chicago for an interview with USA Basketball’s Jerry Colangelo. He drove an hour and a half to Colangelo’s hotel suite, carrying a long garment bag. Colangelo told him he didn’t need to change, but Redd insisted.

Redd, quoted in an article from the New York Times, said: “I did it out of respect for USA Basketball and I did it out of respect for Jerry. I wanted to treat it like a job interview. I wanted to be on this team.”

From that, one can already see that Michael Redd will succeed in any endeavor he puts his mind to, as you will see later in this article.

Michael Redd NBA Career HighlightsMichael Redd NBA Career Highlights

If you happened to have glanced at some Michael Redd stats on any page on the web, you’d have to agree that it’s crazy. Think of the guy as a better scorer than Klay Thompson just because he can put the ball on the floor and score in a variety of ways. 

Here are some Michael Red highlights to whet your appetite:

1. 8 Threes in One Quarter

Just a backup guard in his second year, Redd put the whole league on notice with an unbelievable shooting display– making eight shots from deep in one quarter. This record was broken 12 years later by Thompson, but it’s still amazing. After all, Redd made all of those three-pointers by playing less than 20 minutes!

 

2. Career-high 57 vs. Jazz

The 57 was a single-game record for Milwaukee, beating out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brandon Jennings, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, all having a career-best 55 points.

 

3. Career-high 40 vs. Pistons

The mid-2000s Pistons are one of the best defensive teams in the league, typically holding teams down to around 70 points. That means Detroit rarely allowed nuclear individual performances, but Michael Redd did not get the memo.

 

4. 45 points vs. Kobe

It’s not an easy feat against Kobe Bryant. Only 7 guards scored at least 45 against Kobe Bryant and Michael Redd is one of them.

 

5. Game-Winner vs. Cleveland

Aside from Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, Redd was one of those guys you shouldn’t leave open even from 40 feet. The Cleveland Cavaliers found out the hard way.

 

What Happened to Michael ReddWhat Happened to Michael Redd?

Redd called it quits after 12 NBA seasons, the last one with the Phoenix Suns. Why did Michael Redd retire? Injuries. Redd has torn his ACL and MCL at least two times each in a span of two years. He announced his retirement on November 6, 2013. 

On April 25, 2012, he played in his final NBA game, scoring 14 points in a 110-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. His estimated earnings in over 12 years in the NBA is nearly $102 million.

Michael Redd’s Life After BasketballMichael Redd’s Life After Basketball

After retiring, Redd became an investor and venture capitalist. Michael Redd’s 22 Venture, obviously a nod to his NBA jersey No. 22, is an investment firm focusing on small businesses. He also authored several books on mental health and hosts a podcast called Betting on Yourself.

Back in January 2020, Redd announced his involvement with ADvantage Sports Tech Fund, a firm financed by the family of Adidas founder, Adi Dassler, among others. The company aims to source and support cutting-edge sports analytics, technology, and research.

His partners, such as Jeremy Pressman, sang Redd’s praises regarding leadership and enthusiasm. ​​He remembered a situation where one of their portfolio firms asked for advice on how to enter the American market. Redd assembled together a pitch in a hurry, which impressed Pressman. 

Via Bleacher Report, Pressman said of Redd: “He’s been quite actively involved with business development and marketing activities; kind of right off the bat, he hit the ground running with that same energy and attention that he brought as an athlete on the court. I think he brings that to just about everything he does in life, including venture investing.”

All in all, Redd’s life after basketball is focused on his family and being an angel investor. In 2020, he has taken part in about 85 ventures, most of which are in media and technology. Like his career, Redd also has misses and fumbles in his endeavors, but the most important thing, he said, was how he pivots and recovers from those mistakes.

Wrapping Things Up: What Happened to Michael Redd?

Michael Redd was an underrated shooting guard in the 2000s. He was an excellent scorer, a knockdown volume shooter from deep, and a complete professional. He compiled multiple 20+ PPG seasons and was named an All-Star and All-NBA Third team member in 2004. However, his career was cut short by injuries, and he was forced to retire after 12 seasons in the NBA.

What happened to Michael Redd after hanging his sneakers for good? Well, he turned his attention to business and hit the ground running. He founded 22 Ventures and is currently involved in at least 85 ventures. His most recent project was ADvantage Sports Tech Fund, a firm primarily owned by the family of Adi Dassler. Needless to say, Redd has been doing an excellent job transitioning from a basketball player to a business mogul in just a few years.

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.

Hoops Addict
Hoops Addict

Hoops Addict was created to help basketball fans of all ages learn more about the sport and find the best basketball gear to improve their ability to hoop. He has been a huge basketball fan for decades, watching thousands of basketball games through the years to learn the ins and outs of the game.

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