I’m NBA folk hero who lived up to iconic nickname by becoming cattle farmer

Bryant Reeves embodied his nickname perhaps more than any other player in NBA history.

The Vancouver Grizzlies’ folk hero earned the moniker ‘Big Country’ because of how shocked he was by the size of the United States after his first ever cross-country flight.

Having grown up in the small community of Gans, Oklahoma, with a population of little over 200, the 7-footer is about as big and as country as they come.

The near-300lbs all-American specimen was a beast for Oklahoma State in the early-’90s, twice winning All-Big Eight Player of the Year honors and leading the Pokes to the 1995 Final Four as a senior – beating Tim Duncan’s Wake Forest along the way.

Reeves was primed to be The Association’s next dominant big man and the expansion Grizzlies made him their first-ever draft choice by selecting him sixth overall in the 1995 NBA draft.

By all accounts, the small-town hero was the antithesis of the modern NBA player in the image of Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson.

His cumbersome yet effective style, more fundamental than flashy, combined with a country twang and signature flattop hairstyle made him an instant hit among fans.

A new cult figure was born.

Reeves’ pro career actually started pretty well too. ‘Big Country’ averaged 13.3 points per game in a solid rookie season in the Vancouver Grizzlies’ infamous teal-and-maroon uniforms.

In his second season, the 1996-97 campaign, Reeves averaged 16.2 points per game and was rewarded with a six-year, $61.8 million contract extension.

By his third season, he was putting up 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.08 blocked shots per game and scored a career-high 41 points against the Boston Celtics.

But then things started to go downhill.

By 1998, weight issues and chronic back pain began to derail his career.

Fans believed he’d gotten complacent, or that a lucrative contract had made him lazy and extinguished any incentive to get himself in the best physical state.

At his best, Reeves was a good scorer, rebounder and passer, but a questionable work ethic and a lack of passion ground his career to a halt.

He played just six seasons in the NBA (1995-2001), and never actually got to play for the Grizzlies when they moved to Memphis as he started the 2001-02 season on the injured list.

In January 2002, he officially retired from basketball as the back pain caused by degenerative spinal discs was too much.

During Reeves’ time with the Grizz, the team won only 22 percent of its games and never made it to a single postseason.

He did, however, retire as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (395).

But then he disappeared.

Unlike other NBA players who transitioned into TV or got into coaching, Reeves distanced himself from basketball and faded into obscurity.

Many wondered what became of the once fan favorite big man, and it wasn’t until 2020 when Reeves finally re-introduced himself to the world that fans got their first glimpse of him in years.

Canadian filmmaker Kat Jayme made a documentary called ‘Finding Big Country‘ where she tracks down Reeves after failing to find any mention of his post-retirement life.

Tulsa World also managed to catch up with ‘Big Country’ and discovered that he had bought 300 acres of rural paradise in Sequoyah County, about 100 miles southeast of Tulsa, and was living as a cattle farmer.

Reeves resides in Reeves Ranch, a 15,000-square-foot house banked against the Arkansas River, with his wife Amy and their children Treyton, Trevor and Maddie.

His life is a far cry from the glitz and glamour of the NBA, but Reeves has no regrets about going back to the simple life.

“If I hadn’t played in the NBA, I would have worked at the Whirlpool plant, had a few cows and had a good family, and I still would have been a wealthy guy,” he says.

“I drive Ford pickup trucks, my wife drives a Ford Excursion, and we’re as happy as we can be. I never could see spending $140,000 for some car.”

Sports still aren’t far too from his thoughts, though. His ranch boasts a gymnasium complete with a 94-foot hardwood basketball court.

Bryant is also a base coach for each of his sons’ T-ball teams and remains passionate about deer hunting and fishing.

He has been a regular fixture at Cowboys games at his alma mater OSU over the years, where he first made a name for himself almost three decades ago.

“I knew it (basketball) was coming back eventually. It’s part of me. It’s part of my blood. I can’t leave it. I got back in it.”

Nowadays, Reeves and his father, Carl, are partners in the Reeves Cattle Company. Although he misses the NBA, he wouldn’t swap his current situation for the world.

“After I retired, I just got away from basketball for a while,” Reeves said. “I got completely out of it and completely away from it. It pretty well ruled my life for the years I was playing. I relaxed and spent time with my family.

“I do miss the NBA, but now with three kids, I enjoy being at home. It was fun while it lasted.”

“This is home. Why would I ever want to leave?”