March Madness 2012: Where Past Tournament Heroes Are Now

March is here, and with that comes the madness of college basketball, meaning great comebacks, shocking upsets and clutch buzzer-beaters. 

Fans have seen greatness occur over the years in the NCAA tournament, but as the years go on, sometimes you don't hear what ever happened to these heroes of March. 

Not every college basketball player heads to the NBA for a life full of success. 

That being said, here are some of the best heroes of March and what they're up to today. 

Tyus Edney

March Madness Glory:

The first of several UCLA Bruins on this list. Edney had 4.8 seconds to get down the court and he turned on the jets and sprinted from coast to coast, laying up the game-winning shot in 1995. UCLA would go on to win the title that year. 

Where Are They Now: 

Edney is now the director of operations for the men's basketball team at UCLA. That has to be a tough gig right now considering the recent report by Sports Illustrated detailing the Bruins' partying and disrespectful behavior.

Lorenzo Charles

March Madness Glory: 

Charles was in the right place at the right time in the 1983 national championship game against heavily-favored Houston. After an airball, Charles quickly threw down a dunk before time expired, and the North Carolina State Wolfpack won the title. 

Where Are They Now: 

Unfortunately, Charles passed away after a bus crash in June of 2011. He was 47 years old. 

Christian Laettner

March Madness Glory: 

Laettner was no stranger to buzzer-beaters, but the stage was definitely intense in the Elite Eight matchup against Kentucky. Duke had 2.1 seconds to score, and after a Hail Mary-esque pass from Grant Hill, Laettner hit the turnaround jumper for the win in what many consider the greatest college basketball shot ever.

Duke went on to win the national championship for the second straight year. 

Where Are They Now: 

Earlier this year, Laettner was named an assistant coach for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, an NBA D-League team affiliated with the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. 

Bryce Drew

March Madness Glory: 

In 1998, the No. 13-seeded Valparaiso was hoping to upset No. 4 seed Ole Miss. With 2.5 seconds left on the clock, Valparaiso had to go the full length of the court. The ball was tipped to Drew, and he drained a three-pointer in one of college basketball's best NCAA tournament shots ever. 

Valparaiso used that momentum to advance to the Sweet 16. 

Where Are They Now:

Drew returned to Valparaiso in 2005, and in 2011 he was named head coach. A few days ago, Valparaiso lost to Detroit in the finals of the Horizon League tournament. 

Michael Jordan

March Madness Glory: 

Jordan hit what turned out to be the game-winner of the 1982 NCAA tournament, giving Dean Smith—one of the greatest basketball coaches ever—his first championship as North Carolina head coach. 

Where Are They Now: 

Jordan recently became majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.

It's a tough job, seeing as how the Bobcats haven't had much success in their short history. They've reached the playoffs just once since joining the NBA in 2004. 

Mario Chalmers

March Madness Glory: 

Mario Chalmers took a pass at the top of the key with time running out in the 2008 national championship game, and then he drained a three-pointer to push the game into overtime.

The Kansas Jayhawks would go on to manhandle the Memphis Tigers in extra time to win their first title in 20 years.

Chalmers' shot was only made possible because of inconsistent free-throw shooting from Derrick Rose. It wouldn't surprise if that shot still haunts him today or even motivates him. Rose now shoots 82 percent from the charity stripe. 

Where Are They Now: 

Chalmers was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but was later traded to the Miami Heat. He's in his fourth year with the Heat, and his chances of winning an NBA title to complement his NCAA one are pretty strong thanks to his stacked Miami team. 

Kemba Walker

March Madness Glory: 

Walker started his magical March by leading UConn to become the only school to win in five straight days to claim a conference tournament championship. After that, Walker helped carry the No. 3-seeded Huskies throughout the 2011 NCAA tournament, beating Butler in the finals to cut down the nets. 

Where Are They Now: 

Drafted by the Bobcats ninth overall in last year's draft, Walker is averaging 12.5 points per game, which is third on the team in scoring. He has only started in 17 games so far this season, and the Bobcats are currently 5-34. 

Bill Russell

March Madness Glory: 

Playing for the University of San Francisco Dons, Russell led the way to back-to-back national titles in 1955 and 1956—the only championships the school's basketball team has ever won. 

Where Are They Now: 

Russell has been retired from the NBA for years now, and he enjoys playing golf and coaching disadvantaged kids.

He also recently won the 2011 Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

Bill Walton

March Madness Glory: 

Walton carried the UCLA Bruins to back-to-back national championships in 1972 and 1973. He was a beast on the court, winning Most Outstanding Player in both tournaments. 

Where Are They Now: 

After retiring from the game, Walton took on broadcasting. He left ESPN in 2009 and does some part-time broadcasting for the Sacramento Kings. Walton also recently partnered with the Azuñia Tequila brand. 

Lew Alcindor

March Madness Glory: 

Before changing his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was known as Lew Alcindor, a dominant big man tearing up college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. He played three seasons there under John Wooden, winning the national championship and Most Outstanding Player all three years. 

Where Are They Now: 

Abdul-Jabbar was recently named a United States cultural ambassador. He also weighed in on the recent lack of discipline at UCLA.