Getty Chris Dudley, Brett Kavanaugh
Chris Dudley is a former NBA player who once ran for governor of Oregon. Dudley was also a classmate of Brett Kavanaugh’s at Yale. The two men were in the same freshman class, and they spent a lot of time together partying. Dudley told Buzzfeed that “when he [Kavanaugh] went out Friday nights, I was usually with him.”
The New York Times says police records from 1985 show that Brett Kavanaugh, Chris Dudley, and a few others were involved in a bar fight and were all pulled in to the New Haven police station for questioning. A police report says Kavanaugh was accused of throwing ice at someone and that Dudley was accused of throwing a glass that hit the same man on the ear. No one was prosecuted after the bar fight.
Some of Kavanaugh’s acquaintances have come forward to say that Kavanaugh was a heavy drinker who became “belligerent” when he was drunk. Kavanaugh’s freshman roommate, James Roche, said Kavanaugh regularly drank so much that he became incoherent and sometimes aggressive. But Dudley paints a different picture. He says that Kavanaugh was a moderate drinker who never blacked out or really lost control when using alcohol.
Here’s what you need to know about Chris Dudley:
1. He Says ‘Brett Would Drink, but He’d Also Be the Guy Who Never Missed a Class’
Dudley says that he and Kavanaugh were close friends who spent a lot of time together while they were in college. They went out on Friday nights together. And, Dudley says, like any other college kids in America, they drank and sometimes got drunk. But Dudley says that Kavanaugh never really lost control, and certainly never blacked out.
“I never, ever saw him blacked out, never,” Dudley told Buzzfeed. He added, “Brett would drink, but he’d also be the guy who never missed a class. There’s a reason he was top of his class.”
Dudley told the Washington Post that he and Kavanaugh sometimes got “inebriated,” — “just like any college kid in America” – but that Kavanaugh was never even close to blacking out.
Other classmates have painted a very different picture, describing Kavanaugh as a generally reserved and conservative young man who lost control when he drank, sometimes to the point of blacking out or becoming aggressive.
2. Dudley Played Basketball at Yale and Went on to a Career in the NBA
Dudley spent 16 years playing for the NBA. He was drafted by the Cavaliers in 1987 and later played for the Nets, the Trailblazers, and the Knicks.
Dudley was never a big star — he has been called an “annoying rebounder” and was much criticized for his low free-throw percentage (45 percent). There are lots of videos of him floating around on the internet showing Shaq dunking on him or pushing him to the ground. Still, Dudley made it for 16 years in the NBA.
3. He Came Close to Becoming Governor of Oregon
Dudley, a Republican, fought a tightly-contested campaign for governor of Oregon in 2010, finishing up just 1.5 points behind his Democratic rival, John Kitzhaber.
Dudley had tremendous name recognition in Oregon, where he was known as a star of the Trail Blazers. He was also known for his charitable donations and his work in the community. Oregon tends to elect Democratic governors, and Dudley came closer to winning his race than any Republican had in the previous seven campaigns.
4. He Was Diagnosed With Diabetes as a Teenager and Has Written a Kids’ Book About Overcoming Adversity
Dudley and his wife wrote a book called “Chris Dreams BIG.” The book, published in 2009, describes Dudley’s struggle, as a teenager and young adult, to learn how to live, and thrive, with Type 1 diabetes.
The book is described as follows: “Chris loved being a kid! He also loved dreaming of his plan to one day play professional basketball. Life was pretty good! But one morning Chris woke up and found that he was facing the biggest challenge of his life. Chris had to decide if he was going to let his new found condition end his dream or find the courage to keep playing the game he loves! Chris Dreams BIG is a triumphant story of a boy who overcomes adversity.”
5. Chris and His Wife Have Three Children
Chris’s wife is also named Chris; she goes by the name Chris Love Dudley. She is a fifth-generation Oregonian who campaigned hard for her husband when he was running for governor of the state. The couple has three children.
Dudley has worked as a financial adviser ever since he left the NBA back in 2003. He also operates a charitable foundation that helps children with diabetes. Dudley was born in Connecticut and went to high school in San Diego.
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