1998 From 1993 through 2006, Van Exel was a member of six NBA clubs. In 1998, he was an NBA All-Star with the Los Angeles Lakers. Van Exel attended the University of Cincinnati and was a third-team All-American as a senior in 1993. The Lakers picked him in the second round of the 1993 NBA draft. He played only one season with the team before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. There he joined forces with David Wesley, who had been drafted by the Lakers the previous year. The two players made a name for themselves as "The Twin Towers". They helped push the Trail Blazers to the playoffs in their first season together. Nick Van Exel is currently a basketball analyst for ESPN. He also plays basketball in his free time. When he's not working or playing ball, you can usually find him watching film or hanging out with friends. Walking is one of the best things you can do for your body, so start now! Some sources have Van Exel going back to school after his rookie season to complete his degree in sports management. But others report that he dropped out to play professional basketball full-time. Either way, it's clear that Nick Van Exel loves sports and wants to help people with his knowledge of sports management. We think that's great, because research shows that people who know how to manage stress better tend to avoid heart disease and other illnesses associated with chronic stress.