Adrian Branch

Adrian Branch is a former NBA World Champion. During Adrian’s senior year in high school, he played in the McDonald’s High School All-American Game alongside future NBA greats Chris Mullen, Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing. It was a game of highlights for him, capped off by an unexpected MVP Award over Michael Jordan. Adrian then attended the University of Maryland, where he helped guide the Terrapins to the 1984 ACC Championship. Adrian finished his collegiate career as the second all-time leading scorer at the university. In 2004, Branch was honored at the ACC Tournament as an “ACC Legend.”

Drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bulls in 1985, Adrian eventually went on to win the NBA World Championship in 1987 with the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that included Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Head Coach Pat Riley. Over the next several years, Adrian rounded off his professional basketball career in Spain, France, Monaco, Australia, Thailand, Philippines, Israel, Turkey and the Dominican Republic.

But Adrian found his true calling in ministry. Thanks to a teammate’s witness, Adrian became a believer in 1993, and three years later he signed on with Sportsworld Ministries, a Christian organization that sends former professional athletes to share their testimonies in schools, churches, prisons and foster homes. In the following five years, Adrian spoke to over a half-million young people and served with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Young Life, Youth for Christ, Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Athletes in Action (AIA) and Sports Power International.

In 2004, Adrian returned to the NBA with the league’s newest franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, analyzing the action for the team as their Television Color Analyst. But he continues to speak to various ministries throughout the year.