Lonny Baxter
A powerful college champion whose professional journey spanned the NBA, Europe, and a memorable Olympic stint with the US national team.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American basketball player·Birthday: January 27·Generation X
Biography
Lonny Baxter built his legacy on the foundation of sheer power and an undeniable winner's mentality. At the University of Maryland, he formed the bruising heart of a team that broke through to win the 2002 NCAA championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors in the Final Four. His professional path was that of a journeyman, using his 6'8", 260-pound frame to carve out roles for several NBA teams as an energetic rebounder and interior presence. Baxter's career found its most unique chapter on the international stage; he was a member of the 2003 USA Basketball team that qualified for the Olympics, contributing to the effort that secured America's spot in Athens. His story is one of a player whose greatest team success came in college, but whose toughness allowed him to compete at the highest levels of the game for years.
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.
Lonny was born in 1979, 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 Lonny Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Lonny's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2002 NCAA Championship with Maryland and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.
- Played for the US national team that qualified for the 2004 Olympics at the 2003 FIBA Americas Championship.
- Played parts of four seasons in the NBA for teams including the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors.
Did You Know?
He and former Maryland teammate Juan Dixon are the only players to have their jerseys honored by the university without being retired.
In 2006, he was arrested for shooting a gun in the air near the White House, an incident that effectively ended his NBA career.
He had a very successful post-NBA career in Europe, winning multiple championships in countries like France and Ukraine.
“I won a championship by doing the dirty work in the paint.”
