Kentucky legend Rex Chapman headlines NCAA Tournament coverage

Kentucky Wildcats legend Rex Chapman, who played 12 seasons in the NBA, will be a central figure in NCAA Tournament television coverage this March, according to a release from the NCAA.

The NCAA on Tuesday announced television programming plans from CBS Sports and Turner Sports for March Madness, and Chapman was listed as a studio analyst throughout the tournament. The release says he will be “joining studio coverage from Atlanta through the Regional Semifinals” in an analyst role.

Studio coverage from Turner Studios in Atlanta during the first week will be hosted by Nabil Karim. Karim will be joined by a panel of analysts, which include Candice Parker, Seth Davis, Chapman and “college coaches to be announced.” Additionally, the network said that Dwayne Wade will make contributions to the Atlanta studio throughout the Sweet 16, and Adam Lefkoe will provide game updates from New York for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Chapman recently inked a deal to become a host on CNN+, CNN’s newest streaming platform. In that role, Chapman will have “intimate conversations with athletes, entertainers and everyday heroes” as he “looks for the silver lining beyond today’s toughest headlines,” according to CNN’s press release. Presumably, his role in the NCAA Tournament falls within the confines of his CNN deal, given that Turner Sports and CNN are both under the Turner Broadcasting umbrella.

A native of Owensboro, Kentucky, Chapman opted to stay in-state for his college career, playing two seasons with the Kentucky Wildcats. In two years at Kentucky, Chapman averaged 17.6 points per game, 3.6 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game and 1.5 steals per game. Meanwhile, he was named an all-conference player in both seasons, earning second-team All-SEC honors as a freshman and first-team All-SEC honors as a sophomore in 1988. That same season, Chapman was named the SEC Tournament MVP in 1988.

Chapman was selected in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft, as the Charlotte Hornets took him with the eighth-overall pick. He had an excellent start to his career, earning NBA All-Rookie second team honors in his first year, and he played 12 seasons in the NBA. Scoring nearly 10,000 points in a decade-plus of NBA play, Chapman played for the Hornets, Washington Bullets, Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns, and he averaged 14.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.