An Urban Explorer Captured Dystopian Images Of One NBA Star’s Abandoned Mansion

This sinister-looking home is situated along the public road of S. Kedzie Ave. in the Illinois village of Flossmoor. The local high school is just across the road, while a CVS pharmacy is only a leap over its surrounding walls. It’s also a dream location for any wannabe Tiger Woods, with a golf course named Coyote Run almost within touching distance. 

The property in question was bought for $430,000 by Los Angeles Clippers star Norman in 1989 — although it looked a lot more humble at the time. Yes, the home was initially a relatively small one. But as Norman continued to establish himself as an NBA favorite, and reap the financial rewards in the process, he began to build around it.

By 1997 the home boasted an area of 7,152 square feet. It also housed five bathrooms and bedrooms, an outdoor court where Norman could shoot some hoops, and an indoor swimming pool. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune newspaper nearly 20 years later, friend Kendall Gill still appeared in awe of his fellow NBA star’s vision. 

Gill said, “To me, it was his masterpiece. He incorporated the old structure into the new structure. It was kind of cool how he did it... About a third of the old house was left. The fireplace was left from the old house, right in the center. It was truly luxurious.”

Norman certainly had the money to fulfill his vision. He was reportedly paid over $21 million during his decade-long stint in the NBA. The star’s basketball career began at the University of Illinois before he was drafted by the Clippers. Norman also played for the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks before bidding farewell to the game in which he made his fortune.

But it’s fair to say that Norman wasn’t the most financially astute NBA star. In fact, he refinanced his dream home not just once but on a staggering eight different occasions. The last time Norman did so was in 2006 when he took out a loan to the value of nearly $1 million.

Norman’s inability to take care of his vast fortune eventually caught up with him. In 2010 he was issued with a federal tax debt of nearly $130,000. And just three years later he was hit with another bill for almost $243,000. Shortly after, Norman’s dream home was put on the market for a mere $300,000.

The real estate agent tasked with selling the rundown property certainly couldn’t be accused of deceiving potential buyers about the state of the house, that’s for sure. Its unusually honest listing contained the stark warning, “As is, in need of repairs throughout, severe mold in property. Enter at your own risk!”

Gill also didn’t beat about the bush in his chat with the Chicago Tribune. He said, “I do know, structurally, there were some problems. There was leakage in the roof and the basement. Whoever buys that thing is in for a hell of a rehab — or a teardown. That’s going to be a tough pill to swallow.”

Former Charlotte Hornets player Gill once showed off his own Flossmoor house on that early ‘00s MTV favorite Cribs. And the NBA star also revealed that he often gets mistaken as the owner of friend Norman’s old pad. When asked if he’d ever purchase the property, Gill replied, “You’d have to give me a hell of a deal.”

By this point the property’s surroundings had drastically changed, too. When Norman first bought the smaller house in the late 1980s, he could count a house of worship described as a “toaster church” among his neighbors. The nearby golf course, whose origins date back to the pre-war era, was also under different ownership.

But over the years the Cherry Hills course fell into a similar state of disrepair. It was eventually bought by the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District in 2003 who tried to give it a new lease of life. And the place of worship, last inhabited by the Cathedral of Joy, had been turned into a drugstore.

There was talk that the district might purchase the property, given that both its west and north sides bordered the golf course. But Debbie Kopas, a Homewood-Flossmoor Park executive director, told the Chicago Tribune that the moment had passed. She said, “Probably back when we first acquired Cherry Hills, it would have made sense. At this point, we’d only take it as a donation.”

Kopas also spoke fondly of the property’s former owner, adding, “It’s sad. Kenny, when he lived there, was a great neighbor (to the district). He had a koi pond, and so did we. When something was being done to his pond, we’d take care of his fish, and he’d take care of ours. Maybe, if it’s sold, we’ll get another great neighbor.”

Norman’s one-time pride and joy did eventually get a buyer, but for a figure far below the original asking price. Ed Moody, the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, stated that the house was bought for just $182,000 in 2018. That’s also just a fraction of the $1.35 million sum at which the same home was valued nearly 20 years previously.

So who exactly decided to take a property in such an obvious state of deterioration off the market? Well, according to official records, the new owners are For His Glory, a limited company based in the Kentucky city of Frankfort. As for what they’re planning to do with the place, well that remains a mystery.

Yes, the Chicago Tribune asked Randy L. Pertler, the firm’s principal agent, about the purchase in 2019. And he wasn’t exactly forthcoming in his answer. Keeping his cards close to his chest, Pertler replied, “There are a lot of decisions that need to be made regarding the property and our plans for it.”

Perhaps the work previously carried out by For His Glory hints at what’s to come. Pertler has uploaded several YouTube clips showing off restoration projects in various Chicago areas such as Tinley Park and the neighborhood of Beverly. In one such video, the agent refers to a new staircase as “This is one of our ‘Wow!’ factors. We try to do seven wow factors, and this is one of them right here.”

But for now the one-time home of NBA star Norman is still very much an eyesore. In 2018 website Atlas Obscura published a piece about its dilapidated state which read, “Now abandoned, the mansion merely hints at its former glory.” Still, the dwelling has become something of an unusual tourist attraction for basketball fans and intrepid urban adventurers alike.

One such curiosity-seeker is Zach from YouTube channel Rooted Expeditions. On his Patreon page the man describes himself as “a follower of God who wants to just explore, dig up history, and show the world what I find.” And in 2020 he showed the world what he found when he headed to Norman’s abandoned mansion.

The first video uploaded from the Rooted Expeditions team begins with shots of the property’s exterior. You can see the basketball hoop that Norman and his buddies no doubt enjoyed shooting three-pointers in back in the day. But several years after it was last used, its frame has now completely rusted.

Poor Norman’s old home has obviously become a major hotspot for the area’s vandals over the years, too. The walls surrounding the house are now entirely covered in colorful graffiti. And the walls inside the actual property are also adorned with charming messages such as “Pls die,” and infantile drawings.  

The first room that the team properly explore appears to have once been a lounge. Its fireplace is one of the few features still relatively intact. But the rest of the area is filled with shards of glass, exposed woodwork, and damaged flooring, much of which has completely caved in.

It’s hard to imagine that the next area Zach and his crew enter was once used for swimming. The only water left in there is the mucky kind that looks like a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty bugs. And the rest of the pool structure is caked in rust, mud, and broken fixtures and fittings.

After a brief detour into the basement, which is unsurprisingly empty, the team then enter a doorway bearing the ominous graffiti message “Don’t open.” What ghoulish, dangerous, or incriminating things could be in there, you may ask yourself? Well, rather disappointingly the only notable feature inside is a covered-up bidet.

Norman certainly appeared to have been fond of one particular color. The walls of both the lounge and the upstairs landing were painted in a striking shade that in a certain light could be described as forest green. Perhaps that was in honor of the Milwaukee Bucks, one of Norman’s former basketball teams: they often play in that color. 

And Norman also made sure he had plenty of space to hang his basketball kit. Next to the main bedroom lies a massive walk-in closet — one which could probably have accommodated an entire NBA team’s wardrobe. Of course, in its current dilapidated state you wouldn’t want to store even your oldest rags in there.

The main upstairs bathroom looks like it was the height of luxury back in the day. There’s a jacuzzi tub with impressive views of the nearby golf course, a giant mirror, and a shower cubicle big enough for at least half a dozen people at once! Sadly, now it just resembles a junkyard.

There are also some nice views of the Flossmoor area in what appears to be the main bedroom. But thanks to the numerous smashed windows, they will also now be accompanied by the sound of nearby traffic. In fact, there’s barely a window that’s been left intact in the whole building.

Step on to the generous-sized balcony outside the main bedroom and you can enjoy all of the greenery even more. Unfortunately, there’s also a lot of unwanted greenery — in other words, moss — covering the floor. You’ll also have to be careful to avoid all the shards of glass scattered about the area. 

Things get particularly weird when the team head to one of the rooms without any natural light. The area in question appears to have had its windows boarded-up and the shovel in the accompanying ensuite makes it look like a serial killer’s lair. That blood-red paint on the walls just outside doesn’t help matters, either.

Alongside the various fireplaces, there’s also another original feature that has somehow remained relatively unscathed: a rather quirky-looking chandelier. Hanging from the first floor, the fixture still has all its light strands of varying sizes in one piece. But some would say it’s as much of an eyesore as the rest of the building.

You sure have to be careful when navigating the pitch-black garage. The space has at least one exposed manhole that could easily be fallen into by a particularly slim explorer. And again, the lack of natural light makes the area resemble the final terrifying scene from The Blair Witch Project.

Zach and his buddies finish their tour of the property’s interior with a look at the kitchen. You won’t be surprised to learn that this is also painted in a bold color: this time banana yellow. And it still has at least one appliance in there, a refrigerator adorned with smiley faces.

The Rooted Expeditions crew aren’t the only YouTubers to have explored the abandoned multi-million dollar mansion. In fact, that same year another user, Ryan Nicpon, braved the area to give his followers a glimpse. On his trip, the basement area is flooded with dirty water. He also finds evidence that the property may have attracted some squatters.

Norman’s bold use of color is also commented on by Ryan. “It looks like a Nickelodeon studio,” the YouTuber says while navigating the various pink, red and green-painted spaces. It’s hard to disagree with him. The former NBA star certainly couldn’t be accused of playing it beige, that’s for sure.

But strangely, Ryan seems more excited about finding a Capri Sun in a compartment than anything else in the undeniably eerie house. The expiration date of August 2013 suggests that it was, in fact, Norman who had bought the strawberry and kiwi-flavored juice drink. Thankfully, Ryan refrains from having a sip.

While venturing out into the open spaces, Ryan remarks how sad it is that the place has fallen into a state of disrepair. He later concludes, “Checking this place out in person, I can really begin to appreciate how amazing this must have been back in 1989. I’ve really enjoyed checking it out.”

So what’s happened to Norman since he was forced to put the fruits of his labors on the market? Well, details appear to be pretty scarce. But we do know that in 2015 the former Los Angeles Clippers star was inducted as a player into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.