Once-inseparable trio of Walton, Jefferson, Anderson forging own paths

Life’s unpredictable paths: Luke Walton, Richard Jefferson and Rick Anderson were almost inseparable friends and teammates, part of Arizona’s 1998-99 basketball recruiting class. Walton earned $33 million in 10 NBA seasons and will be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Jefferson has been paid $108 million in a career with seven NBA teams, and hopes to win his first championship this year, at 35, for Cleveland. Anderson, who wasn’t drafted by the NBA, earned a UA master’s degree in kinesiology, and is now an instructor at Long Beach City College, where his father played for Lute Olson a million years ago. Anderson wrote his master’s thesis on yoga, of all things. He now teaches a daily yoga class as part of his LBCC duties.