“I Thought He Was Crazy”: The Undertaker Passed on a Money-Making Basketball Career for a Wild Reason as Per His Former Coach

Sometimes an individual would have to take some big decisions in his life which affect his entire life. It becomes very difficult when it comes to choosing between passion and comfort. A passionate career choice might not give you the comfort you want, but it will certainly provide you the satisfaction. WWE’s iconic superstar The Undertaker also had to make a difficult choice like this.

The Undertaker has entertained the wrestling world for more than 30 years. The legendary Undertaker’s iconic gimmick is considered one of the most iconic gimmicks of all time. But even The Deadman had to make a choice between basketball and pro wrestling during his college days. He was even offered a huge amount for it.

Mark Calaway has always been good at sports. The 6ft 9, young Calaway, had an impressive talent for basketball. As per his former coach Richard Hoogendoorn, a European pro basketball scout was willing to pay a staggering amount of $80,000. This was more than the average NBA player’s pay at that time.

As the Undertaker’s coach told Bleacher Report, he “basically had him a contract” from the European scouts. There are usually tryouts for this type of selection process, but the scouts had already decided the amount for Taker. Maybe they had an understanding of what the man was capable of.

The Undertaker chose passion over money

Fortunately, for the pro wrestling fans, Mark Calaway refused the offer. Coach Hoogendoorn was shocked after hearing Calaway’s decision. “I thought he was crazy,” Hoogendoorn said. But later, his coach realized it was ultimately a moral decision for Calaway. His coach also confessed in the interview that even he didn’t know what pro wrestling was exactly. 

The ultimate choice of Calaway proved to be a blessing for him. The Undertaker was determined, and he worked hard for it. After many years of sifting through various promotions, The Undertaker landed in WWE. And the rest is history.

Read More: “It’s So Sad And So Sweet..”: The Undertaker’s Former Manager Recalled the Deadman’s Heartwarming Experiences with the Make-A-Wish Kids

The Undertaker’s life story is a living example of nothing can stop a person from achieving his life goals if he works hard for it. Do you think The Undertaker would be able to leave his mark in basketball too, as he did in pro wrestling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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