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Lance Allred
Lance Collin Allred (born February 2, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player, who was the first deaf player to play an NBA game. Allred is legally deaf, with 75%–80% hearing loss due to Rh complications at birth. He is also an inspirational speaker and author, with his first book, Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, published by HarperCollins in 2009.
Allred was born in Pinesdale, Montana, a fundamentalist Mormon polygamist commune. Allred's father is a high school history teacher. He is the grandson of Rulon C. Allred, a prophet of the Apostolic United Brethren, a fundamentalist polygamous sect. Rulon was born in Colonia Dublán, Chihuahua, Mexico, which allowed Allred to receive Mexican citizenship.
Allred's family moved to Salt Lake City when he was seven. He started playing organized basketball in eighth grade, when he joined a team in the local LDS Church league.
Allred's skills developed quickly. His height of nearly seven feet also contributed to his sporting skill. He was a star basketball player at East High School in Salt Lake City. During his senior year, he averaged 17.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game, earning many prestigious honors for his performance. He was named 1999 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Utah, and earned First Team All-State selection in Class 4A by both The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. Also, Allred was ranked as the "Best in the West" at the center position by Pac-West Hoops, and was hailed as a Top 100 Recruit by CNN/Sports Illustrated. He was heavily recruited by many schools but ultimately decided to attend the University of Utah.
Allred played in just 17 games, averaging 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in only 5.6 minutes per game during his freshman year. The following season (2001–02), his playing time increased slightly, but he continued to struggle. At the end of his sophomore year, he transferred to Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. After transferring, Allred accused Utah coach Rick Majerus of constant verbal abuse, usually focused on Allred's deafness. Allred told The Salt Lake Tribune that Majerus had once said: "Lance, you've weaseled yourself through life using your hearing as an excuse. You're a disgrace to cripples. If I was a cripple in a wheelchair and saw [the way] you play basketball, I'd shoot myself." Two other Utah players confirmed some of what Allred claimed, but two assistant coaches said they never heard it. Majerus denied the allegations while describing the statements as "extremely insensitive." An investigation concluded that Majerus did not discriminate against Allred.
Allred saw increased playing time as a junior and averaged 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. He focused on his weight and strength in the offseason, building enough muscle to increase his weight from 240 pounds to about 270. In his senior year (2004–05) he led his team with 17.7 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. He ranked third in the nation in rebounding, trailing only Paul Millsap and Andrew Bogut. Weber State eventually made it to the championship game of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, where the Wildcats lost by two points. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-Big Sky and also First Team All-Utah by the Deseret News.
Allred began his professional career as an injury replacement for the French LNB club SPO Rouen Basket. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11 games played. In January 2006, Allred was an injury replacement for another LNB club, JL Bourg Basket. In four games he averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds. Allred then played for Club Bàsquet Llíria of the Spanish LEB2 league, averaging 15.0 points (on 60.2% shooting) and 7.2 rebounds in 10 games.
In 43 games (19 starts) with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League, Allred averaged 10.1 points on .524 shooting, and 5.7 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per game.
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Lance Allred
Lance Collin Allred (born February 2, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player, who was the first deaf player to play an NBA game. Allred is legally deaf, with 75%–80% hearing loss due to Rh complications at birth. He is also an inspirational speaker and author, with his first book, Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, published by HarperCollins in 2009.
Allred was born in Pinesdale, Montana, a fundamentalist Mormon polygamist commune. Allred's father is a high school history teacher. He is the grandson of Rulon C. Allred, a prophet of the Apostolic United Brethren, a fundamentalist polygamous sect. Rulon was born in Colonia Dublán, Chihuahua, Mexico, which allowed Allred to receive Mexican citizenship.
Allred's family moved to Salt Lake City when he was seven. He started playing organized basketball in eighth grade, when he joined a team in the local LDS Church league.
Allred's skills developed quickly. His height of nearly seven feet also contributed to his sporting skill. He was a star basketball player at East High School in Salt Lake City. During his senior year, he averaged 17.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game, earning many prestigious honors for his performance. He was named 1999 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Utah, and earned First Team All-State selection in Class 4A by both The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. Also, Allred was ranked as the "Best in the West" at the center position by Pac-West Hoops, and was hailed as a Top 100 Recruit by CNN/Sports Illustrated. He was heavily recruited by many schools but ultimately decided to attend the University of Utah.
Allred played in just 17 games, averaging 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in only 5.6 minutes per game during his freshman year. The following season (2001–02), his playing time increased slightly, but he continued to struggle. At the end of his sophomore year, he transferred to Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. After transferring, Allred accused Utah coach Rick Majerus of constant verbal abuse, usually focused on Allred's deafness. Allred told The Salt Lake Tribune that Majerus had once said: "Lance, you've weaseled yourself through life using your hearing as an excuse. You're a disgrace to cripples. If I was a cripple in a wheelchair and saw [the way] you play basketball, I'd shoot myself." Two other Utah players confirmed some of what Allred claimed, but two assistant coaches said they never heard it. Majerus denied the allegations while describing the statements as "extremely insensitive." An investigation concluded that Majerus did not discriminate against Allred.
Allred saw increased playing time as a junior and averaged 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. He focused on his weight and strength in the offseason, building enough muscle to increase his weight from 240 pounds to about 270. In his senior year (2004–05) he led his team with 17.7 points and 12.0 rebounds per game. He ranked third in the nation in rebounding, trailing only Paul Millsap and Andrew Bogut. Weber State eventually made it to the championship game of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, where the Wildcats lost by two points. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-Big Sky and also First Team All-Utah by the Deseret News.
Allred began his professional career as an injury replacement for the French LNB club SPO Rouen Basket. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11 games played. In January 2006, Allred was an injury replacement for another LNB club, JL Bourg Basket. In four games he averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds. Allred then played for Club Bàsquet Llíria of the Spanish LEB2 league, averaging 15.0 points (on 60.2% shooting) and 7.2 rebounds in 10 games.
In 43 games (19 starts) with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League, Allred averaged 10.1 points on .524 shooting, and 5.7 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per game.