Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins is an American former professional basketball player who played for nine different NBA teams throughout his career.
Basketball career
After playing four years of college basketball at the University of South Florida, he was undrafted in the 1996 NBA draft. In 1996–97, he played with the LaCrosse Bobcats in the now-defunct CBA before going overseas to play for the Cibona Zagreb club in Croatia from 1997–1999. Atkins started his NBA career in 1999 with the Orlando Magic, with immediate impact. He then played for the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. In 2004, Atkins was traded in a multi-player deal which sent Gary Payton to Boston and Atkins to the Los Angeles Lakers. During 2004–05, he registered career-highs in points and minutes, playing and starting in all 82 regular season contests. Atkins was traded along with Caron Butler to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit in the 2005 offseason. As Atkins appeared sparingly throughout the season, the Wizards bought out the remainder of his contract on January 18, 2006. Atkins had voiced displeasure with the amount of playing time he was receiving, and he and the team both felt a change of scenery was needed. On January 23, 2006, Atkins signed as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies, replacing the injured Damon Stoudamire. Atkins averaged in double figures in his half-season stint in Memphis. Atkins signed as a free agent on July 2007 with the Denver Nuggets. A hernia injury plagued him throughout most of the year, and he failed to have a significant impact in 2007–08. On January 7, 2009, the Nuggets traded Atkins, along with a 2009 first round draft pick and cash considerations, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Johan Petro and a 2009 second round draft pick. On July 27, 2009, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Damien Wilkins for center Etan Thomas and two future second-round draft picks. On September 22, 2009, Chucky Atkins was waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He signed a non guaranteed contract with the Detroit Pistons on September 28, 2009. Atkins played 40 games for the Pistons in his second stint with them during the 2009–2010 season. On September 27, 2010, Atkins signed with the Phoenix Suns. He was waived on October 11, 2010. After retiring from the game in 2011, Atkins went on to coach his alum high school in 2012–13 and 2013–14 before quitting the job on the eve of the 2014–15 season after he was arrested on charges of driving under the influence twice within three months. In 2019, Atkins came to the aid of ailing rocker Tony Mills, organizing a fund-raising festival in his honor and for his benefit. Atkins had previously been turned on to Mills' music by former teammate Chauncey Billups.
