For those who participate in sports at a higher level, the biggest adjustments are not just the ones made during competition but also the adjustment to life after sports. Anthony Witherspoon Sr. has adjusted quite nicely, and so has his son, Anthony Witherspoon Jr., with the opening of Spoon’s BBQ Restaurant and Sports Bar in College Park.

After eating at Gates Bar-B-Q and Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, Mo., and introducing them to his father, Witherspoon Jr. saw the beginning of a family business. “If we could get this quality of barbecue here in Georgia, there is no doubt that this could be successful,” Witherspoon Jr. said. “The food industry is one that is always going to be stable—ppeople have to eat. We just saw an opportunity and ran with it.”Before becoming the restaurant’s owner and general manager, Witherspoon Sr. spent more than 20 years coaching basketball at Grambling State, Fort Valley State, and his alma mater, Clark Atlanta University.

As far as Witherspoon Jr. goes, the 6-foot-5 swingman graduated from Banneker in 2000 and then went on to play under his father for two years at Clark Atlanta. “I had several D-I offers, but being around basketball my whole life and understanding coach philosophies, I just felt that would be a good opportunity for me to come into college and automatically play,” Witherspoon Jr. said. “I felt like you cannot get better sitting on the bench, regardless of how big the school is. As a result of his decision, Witherspoon Jr. was named Freshman of the Year in the SIAC. After his sophomore year, which would also be the end of his father’s tenure at CAU, Witherspoon Jr. would transfer to Georgia State and earn his degree. Then, after giving basketball overseas a try in South America and Asia, Witherspoon Jr. decided it was time to prepare for the next phase of life. “I got a little older and saw my basketball career was coming to an end, so I went back to school to get a master's in marketing,” said the 30-year-old Spoon’s general manager.

Now, he and his father are once again on the same team, but in the business world. Even though they have transitioned from basketball to barbecue, the Witherspoons are still involved with the sport. Witherspoon Sr. plans to teach youth leadership skills through the sport of basketball, while Witherspoon Jr. helps players develop their skills as one of the city's top basketball trainers. “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” said Witherspoon Sr., who founded Leadership Prep Foundation Inc. in 2010. "Young people need to learn and grow their leadership skills. There are very few true leaders today that young people can emulate.” “They are asking for direction.” The Witherspoon’s also wish to make Spoons exclusive, not just because of its barbeque.

"My goal is to create a non-profit organization that helps develop the next generation of global leaders while also developing leaders that are concerned about what is happening within their own communities and make the necessary social and political changes that better their lives and those of the community.” It appears he is doing that now with his organization after moving to Miami in 2015.