Los Angeles Lakers: Where Are They Now? Catching Up with Mark Madsen

There hasn't been an athlete in the history of sports that's more famous for what he did during a championship parade than on the playing field.

That is, except if your name is Mark Madsen, of course.

Mad Dog Madsen was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2000 NBA draft and played sparingly during his rookie season. The Lakers won their second straight title that season and during the victory parade, Madsen started dancing on the podium, thus establishing his legacy forever.

Madsen's jig during that season's parade and the next made him known as "the white guy who danced during the Lakers' title victory."

He was an absolutely lovable character and he presented solid effort at all times off the bench for the Purple and Gold.

After winning two rings with the Lakers, the Walnut Creek, Calif. native signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

The levity in the Lakers' locker room vanished after Madsen's departure, as the 2003-04 season was a year of internal strife in Los Angeles. Madsen was a character guy who always had a smile on his face. There's no doubt that he helped ease some tension during the Lakers' title years.

Madsen would go on to play six seasons with the Timberwolves, retiring after the 2009 season. 

Just because Madsen made millions in the NBA, it doesn't mean he stopped working, though. Madsen enrolled at Stanford's Graduate School of Business in 2010 and is expecting to graduate this month with an MBA.

How about that for a post-NBA career?

Madsen's professionalism was always exuded on the basketball court and now it once again is being depicted in his post-career endeavors.

Now we all anxiously await Madsen to work his way up the corporate ladder so that perhaps he can dance for us again in celebratory fashion. 

"Los Angeles Lakers: Where Are They Now?" will cover some of the lesser-known Lakers throughout the years and document what they've been up to since they ceased wearing purple and gold. 

Some of these guys were regulars in the system while others were benchwarmers. There were even some fan favorites. 

This will run throughout the summer. If you have a player in mind, please feel free to contact me.