Desmond Mason
A high-flying NBA dunker who traded the hardwood for the canvas, becoming a respected painter and broadcaster.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American basketball player·Birthday: October 11·Generation X
Biography
Desmond Mason's story is one of kinetic energy finding new forms. Born in Waxahachie, Texas, his athletic prowess led him to Oklahoma State University and then a nine-year NBA career, where he was best known for his explosive dunks, winning the 2001 Slam Dunk Contest. But Mason was never just a jock; he carried a sketchbook on road trips, quietly developing a parallel life as a visual artist. After retiring in 2009, he didn't fade into nostalgia. He leaned into his second act, establishing a full-time studio practice. His vibrant, textured paintings—often exploring movement, music, and identity—have been exhibited in galleries and collected seriously. Simultaneously, he became a familiar voice in Oklahoma City, co-hosting a sports radio show and serving as a thoughtful NBA analyst, bridging the worlds of sport, art, and community with a rare authenticity.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Desmond was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Desmond Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Desmond's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2001 while playing for the Seattle SuperSonics.
- Played nine seasons in the NBA for five different teams, averaging 12.1 points per game.
- Successfully transitioned to a professional art career, with solo exhibitions of his paintings.
- Served as a studio analyst for Fox Sports Oklahoma covering the Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Co-hosted the afternoon drive show on Oklahoma City sports radio station The Franchise 107.7.
Did You Know?
He majored in studio art at Oklahoma State University while playing basketball.
He designed the cover art for the sports video game 'NCAA March Madness 2004'.
His art was featured in a solo exhibition titled 'Energy' at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in 2012.
He was traded from the Seattle SuperSonics to the Milwaukee Bucks in a deal involving All-Star guard Ray Allen.
“My art is about capturing motion, the same as my dunk was.”
