Xavier Henry
A former lottery pick whose promising NBA career was derailed by a relentless series of injuries, cutting short his explosive athletic potential.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 15·Millennials
Biography
Xavier Henry arrived with the sheen of a can't-miss prospect. A McDonald's All-American, he chose Kansas and showed flashes of the powerful, smooth wing scorer he was projected to be. Drafted 12th overall by Memphis in 2010, his professional journey quickly became a medical chart. Just as he would find a rhythm—like a 19-point quarter for the Lakers in 2013—a devastating injury would strike: a torn Achilles, a fractured wrist, chronic knee issues. Each comeback attempt was met with another physical setback. Henry's career became a four-year odyssey through six NBA teams, defined by rehabilitation rooms more than highlight reels. He finished with stints in the G League before retiring in his mid-20s. His story remains a poignant 'what if' in recent NBA memory, a reminder of how fragile a career built on elite athleticism can be.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Xavier was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Xavier Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Xavier's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
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
2009Could vote
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
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 19 points in the fourth quarter for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 2013 game against the Utah Jazz, showcasing his scoring burst.
- Drafted 12th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies after one season at the University of Kansas.
- Averaged a career-high 10.0 points per game in 43 appearances for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2013-14 season.
- Named a McDonald's All-American in 2009 after a standout high school career in Oklahoma.
Did You Know?
His younger brother, C.J. Henry, was also a professional baseball player drafted by the New York Yankees.
He played one season of college basketball at Kansas alongside future NBA players Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, and Josh Selby.
He suffered a torn Achilles tendon in 2014 while playing for the Lakers, a major setback in his career.
His father, Carl, played basketball at Kansas, making Xavier a second-generation Jayhawk.
“My body just wouldn't let me be the player I knew I was.”
