When former NBA star Steve Francis was caught drowning his face with liquor and passing out in a Miami night club last week, things looked like they had reached an ultimate low point. Everyone knows Steve Francis is out of the league and washed up, but not many people could have guessed things could get this bad.
From being one of the most promising guards in the NBA to spilling drinks all over himself while dancing solo before falling to his knees to the music of "Drunk In Love," the retiree caused such a sad scene that the question is impossible to not ask.
What the heck happened to Steve Francis? Getting the answer required a bit of back tracking, which led to this: a visual timeline of Steve Francis' rise and fall.
He Never Even Went To High School, And Still Found His Way To Maryland
Because he did things like this in junior college. "Off the heezy" to the reverse layup. Yikes.
Even During His Rookie Year, His Crossover Was Too Serious
And The Dunks Were Too
He Was An All-Star Regular At One Point
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Three straight appearances from 2002 through 2004.
But Then Got Traded To Orlando For Tracy McGrady
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
(It didn't help that new Houston head coach Jeff Van Gundy didn't like him.)
But he was still doing his thing (18.5 PPG over two seasons) , until...
Another Coach Didn't Like Him, And Sent Him To The Knicks
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
"One of my goals is to leave the Garden with my jersey hanging from the rafters," he told the New York Times.
By the end of Francis' first full season in New York, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, who promptly bought him out for $30 million.
That's a lot of money that a man could do a lot with, like:
Play In China For The Heck Of It
This is Steve Francis, and I am not joking: pic.twitter.com/mUPHxMzyPx — Got 'Em Coach (@GotEm_Coach) January 10, 2014
Jesus, this is getting bad.
Make A Music Video
(You know what's crazy about this, it's actually not even that bad.)
And...
Get Choke By Steven Jackson
Note the fact that he ended up getting arrested, by the way.
Take Pictures With Drake At A Strip Club
As we've discovered of late, nothing good comes from hanging with Drake.
Get Fresh
This is one of Francis' more publicized recent photos. After seeing this, we should've known the worst was to come... and it did.
And, This.
R.I.P. Steve Francis.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
