The former residence of basketball star Nick Van Exel, located in Houston's exclusive Royal Oaks Country Club, recently returned to the market with an asking price of US$12 million. This comes only a few months after Holton Buggs acquired the property at auction for US$9 million. Van Exel, who played in the NBA for 13 seasons and later served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks, purchased the estate in the early 2000s.
The 20,932 square-foot mansion later gained national prominence through an appearance on MTV's 'Cribs'. Completed in 2002, the four-storey steel-frame house was designed by architect Paul Olson, with interiors by Steven G. and Marc-Michaels.
The Houston property is distinguished by numerous bespoke details, including 72 walnut doors, over 700 recessed light fixtures, and a front door that was considered the largest single residential door in the country at the time of its construction. The primary suite includes one of the house's largest custom spaces: an approximately 2,824 square-foot walk-in wardrobe, recognised as one of the largest of its kind in Texas.
In addition to these record-breaking features, the estate was designed for extensive leisure activities and entertaining. It boasts a commercial-grade Brunswick bowling alley, a private 13-seat cinema with approximately US$500,000 worth of California Audio Technology speakers, and two kitchens. Further indoor amenities include a 3,000-gallon aquarium, a hair salon, a sauna, and a spa room. Outdoors, there is an infinity pool and a poolside bar overlooking the water and the fairways that surround the property.
The residence is located behind multiple secured gates within the Royal Oaks Country Club, one of Houston's premier private residential and golf communities. Nick Van Exel's former property sits on a lake within the complex, offering views across the water to the ninth green of the Fred Couples Signature Golf Course.
Although Nick Van Exel no longer resides in the mansion, he has not entirely left Houston. The former NBA star still owns a house in the city and, since ending his coaching career in 2023, commutes between Texas and Georgia. Since then, he has founded 100X Sports, an athlete representation agency, and VanExel Hoops, a youth basketball organisation for girls. Following the recent change of ownership via auction, his former estate in the Royal Oaks Country Club is now back on the market, offering the next owner a sprawling four-storey residence with resort-like amenities and a lineage of notable previous owners.
