NBA Encyclopedia #4: Aldrich to Allen

Welcome to the long-awaited return of what I plan to be a cornerstone of Cardboard History, my Encyclopedia series! It's been a year and a half since I last published in this series, and that's not good at all. My goal for myself is at least one post in the series per month going forward...hopefully more than that. These posts take quite a bit of effort and time to create so I am not sure how often I can create them.

#31 Cole Aldrich

2011-12 Hoops #168

A role player in the NBA, Burnsville, Minnesota native Cole Aldrich has bounced around to several teams trying to find a permanent spot in the League. He has appeared in 339 games over 8 seasons with the Thunder, Rockets, Kings, Knicks, Clippers and Timberwolves, where he played most recently, appearing in 17 games during 2017-18. The Timberwolves waived him at the conclusion of the season, and as of yet no other teams have signed him. His best season was 2014-15 with the Knicks, where he started 16 of the 61 games he played, and scored 338 points, his career high for a season. One of the few modern players to never attempt even a single 3-point shot.

#32 LaMarcus Aldridge

2016-17 Complete Silver #303

A genuine superstar, Aldridge has been a 6 time All-Star and 5-time All-NBA player, he has put up 16,871 points in 869 games, ranking him 94th all-time in scoring. His first 9 seasons were in Portland, then he went to the Spurs as a free agent, returning to his home state of Texas. The second pick of the 2006 draft, he has started every game he's played after his rookie season, and is usually the focal point of scoring for the teams he's been on. The Bulls, who drafted him second, traded him on draft night for Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa, a decision they have probably been regretting ever since. He led the league in shots made in 2014-15, his last with Portland.

#33 Chuck Aleksinas

1984-85 Star #150

A player I know very little about. Hailing from Litchfield, Connecticut, his only NBA basketball was played during the 1984-85 season for the Warriors. He played in Spain and Italy, most recently the 1989-90 season. This is the only NBA card he ever got. He appeared in 74 games and scored 377 points during that season.

#34 Cliff Alexander

2015-16 Complete #300

A somewhat obscure modern player. He appeared in 8 games for the Trail Blazers during 2015-16, and that was the end of his NBA career. He played in the D-League/G-League in 2016-17 and 2017-18, and currently plays in Germany. He scored 10 points in his 8 games.

#35 Cory Alexander

1998-99 Autographics

A native of Waynesboro, Virginia, Alexander had an unusual career. Drafted by the Spurs in 1995, he played the first two and a half years of his career with the Spurs  He was waived during the 1997-98 season, but he didn't have long to wait, being signed by Denver 5 days later, where he played two and a half more years. He spent 2000-01 with the Orlando Magic, then was out of basketball. After not playing at all in 2001-02, he played in the D-League in 2002-03, then spent the 2003-04 season playing it Italy. He returned to to D-League in 2004-05, and then, he got called up and played 16 games with the Charlotte Bobcats, 4 years after last playing in the NBA! His career totals come out to 1677 points scored over 307 games. Currently a broadcaster for ESPN's college basketball coverage.

#36 Courtney Alexander

2001-02 EX #25

Courtney Alexander seemed to be a player with a long career ahead of him, but he only played 3 seasons of professional basketball. A native of Bridgeport, Connecticut, he was taken as a lottery pick by the Dallas Mavericks (via the Magic, who actually made the pick) in the 2000 draft. Dallas traded him to Washington midway through his rookie season, and he played a season and a half there, including his career-high in scoring of 33 points. The Wizards traded him to New Orleans and he played one season there...and that was it. He signed contracts with two other NBA teams, but both cut him from the team before ever playing a game. He does not appear to have played internationally or in any other lower-level professional leagues. His final totals are only 187 games played, and 1690 points scored.

#37 Joe Alexander

2008-09 Topps Tipoff #118

An interesting life, but widely considered one of the most disappointing lottery picks in recent years. Drafted 8th by the Bucks in 2008, he played a grand total of 67 games, scoring only 282 points during his 2-year NBA career. He is the only lottery pick I am aware of to play less than three years in the NBA, although he may be joined on that list if Giorgios Papagiannis does not play in 2018-19. A persistent leg injury has hampered his career, costing him more than a full season, including a comeback attempt with the Warriors in 2013. After the Bucks traded him to Chicago during 2009-10, he was sent to the D-League, he moved on then to Russia, Israel, Italy, and second stints in both the D-League and Israel, where he currently plays and is in all actuality playing quite well. He was the first NBA player born in Taiwan, and also became the first American to have his jersey number retired by a Chinese high school, where he lived for a time. Has dual citizenship between USA and Israel.

#38 Victor Alexander

1992-93 Ultra #62

An American player who found much more success in Europe than in the NBA. Drafted 17th by the Warriors in 1991, he played for them until and including the 1994-95 season. They then traded him to the Raptors, who, for reasons unknown to me, refused to play him. They traded him to Cleveland, but he failed the physical, thus voiding the trade. They tried again, sending him to the Knicks, but the Knicks waived him instantly. After sitting out 1995-96, (though technically a member of the Raptors, who he does have cards with) he then moved on to Europe, playing in Spain, Greece, Israel and Russia, with multiple stints in each country save Israel. He actually returned to the NBA in 2001-02, appearing in 15 games with the Pistons, before returning to Russia. Playing with the Pistons, even for only 15 games, must have been a thrill, considering Detroit is his home town.  2003-04 was his final season internationally. His final NBA stats are 2542 points over only 286 games.

#39 Steve Alford 

1990-91 Hoops #81

Franklin, Indiana's Steve Alford is known much more for being a college coach, but he does have 4 years of NBA action on his resume. Taken 26th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1987 draft, they released him halfway through his second season, which he finished with the Warriors. He then went back to the Mavericks for two more years and that was the end of his career, totaling 744 points in 169 games. He instantly stepped into coaching in college, becoming a head coach the very next season. He still is a coaching, currently head coach of UCLA. His son Bryce played briefly in the D-League but has no cards.

#40 Jarrett Allen

2017-18 Hoops Rise N Shine #RS-JAL

Austin, Texas native Jarrett Allen is just beginning his NBA career. The Nets' first round pick in 2017, he appeared in 72 of a possible 82 games during his rookie season, starting 31 of them, and scoring 587 points. He is considered one of the main building blocks of the Nets' future, and is projected to be the starting center for the foreseeable future. It's of course unknown what path his career will take, but it looks like he may have a long career from what he's shown so far.