NBA Encyclopedia #5: Allen to Alston

Today, February 14th, is my 23rd anniversary of becoming an NBA fan. I've covered this before, but a brief recap- my mom, who worked in my school, saw that lots of kids collected cards but I was the only one collecting NASCAR and Non-Sports. Everybody else collected NBA. So, she gave me a pack of 1995-96 Fleer Series 2 for Valentine's Day, I found the Knicks-Hornets game on MSG that night, and I was hooked. 23 years later, I'm still collecting. So, to celebrate, it's time for another installment of the NBA Encyclopedia!

#41 Jerome Allen

1995-96 Fleer #281

 Philadelphia native Jerome Allen had a very brief NBA career- a total of 117 games over two seasons. While all his professional cards are with the T-Wolves, he actually played more games for Indiana in 1996-97, suiting up for 51 games as opposed to 41 with the Wolves as a rookie. He also got into 25 games with the Nuggets in 1996-97. After his brief NBA stint, he went to Europe and played until 2009, playing with teams in France, Turkey, Italy, Spain and Greece. He stepped into coaching immediately after his playing career, and is currently an assistant with the Celtics.

#42. Lavoy Allen

2016-17 Complete #235

 Sticking with Pennsylvania natives, Lavoy Allen hails from Morrisville, and began his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers in the lockout shortened 2011-12 season. He played his first two and a half years with the Sixers, before being traded to the Pacers. He would play with them from mid-2013-14 through 2016-17. That was the extent of his NBA career to date, but he has played in the D/G-League ever since, currently a member of the Capital City Go-Go, the Wizards' affiliate. He appeared in 388 NBA games.

#43 Lucius Allen

1975-76 Topps #52

 Kansas City native Lucius Allen had an impressive 10 year NBA career, from 1969-70 to 1978-79. He played for the SuperSonics, Bucks, Lakers, and Kansas City Kings. He appeared in 702 NBA games, and won a Championship with the Bucks in only his second season. He did not play any more basketball after he retired. He is the only player in NBA history to spell his first name this way.

#44 Malik Allen

2002-03 Hoops Stars #79

 Malik Allen was another player with a 10-year NBA career. He was not selected in the 2000 NBA Draft, and began his professional career with the ABA (second version), before catching on with the Heat in 2001-02. He would stay with the Heat from 2001 to 2005, before being traded to the Charlotte Bobcats, where he had a very short stay. (22 games). He then joined the Chicago Bulls, and then the New Jersey Nets, as a free agent, but his time with the Nets was short- he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks after only 48 games. He finished the 2007-08 season with the Mavs, then joined the Milwaukee Bucks, who traded him to the Denver Nuggets after one season. He played one final year with the Orlando Magic then retired, a veteran of 428 NBA games, including 125 starts. He is currently an assistant coach on the Minnesota Timberwolves, after previously being an assistant coach on the Detroit Pistons. Allen hails from Willingboro, New Jersey.

#45 Myron Allen

2005-06 Topps Chrome #251

I can find very, very little about Myron Allen online. He played 76 games for the Arkansas Rimrockers of the D-League across 2005-06 and 2006-07, and scored 803 points. The back of this card- it, and it's parallels, being the only cards he ever got- mentions that he is a native of Houston and played in the USBL, the 2nd ABA, the WBA and in Mexico, before joining the D-League. I do not know where, if any, he has played after 2006-07. He does not even have a Wikipedia page. This is my only card of him.

#46 Randy Allen

1990-91 Hoops #254

 Randy Allen had a very short NBA career, with it being already over by time his only non-promo cards were released. He played 70 games with the Kings in 1988-89 and 1989-90, and his two cards both came in 1990-91. (He does have a regional promo from 1989-90 and a card from Italy from 1994). He also played in the CBA and in Europe, playing in Italy, Spain and France. His last active season appears to be 1995-96. I do not know what he has done since his NBA career ended. One of his sons played minor league baseball in the Giants system, but does not appear to have gotten any cards. He is from Milton, Florida.

#47 Ray Allen

1999-00 Fleer Tradition #26

 Ray Allen is a legend. I suspect anyone who knows about the NBA likely doesn't need me to tell you this, but I will anyway. Allen is a Hall-of-Famer, class of 2018, 10-time All-Star, 2-time NBA champion, is the NBA's all-time leader in 3-pointers both made and attempted, ranks 22nd in games played and 24th all-time in points. In addition, he holds the record for most consecutive games played for the Bucks, at exactly 400. In all, he appeared in exactly 1300 games, (1149 starts), putting up 24,505 points. Part of the incredible 1996 draft class, he played for the Bucks, SuperSonics, Celtics and Heat, winning NBA Championships with the final 2 teams. Although he last took the court in 2013-14 many teams were pursuing him to keep playing, he officially retired in 2016. Oh, by the way, he also found time to win an Olympic Gold medal as well as turn in critically acclaimed acting roles!   After basketball, Allen has enjoyed retirement, including raising his children- one of whom was born Type1 Diabetic, a cause Allen has worked to bring attention to. Ray's parents were career military and he was born at an Air Force base in Merced, California.

#48 Tony Allen

2014-15 Hoops #168

 Nicknamed "The Grindfather", Tony Allen is a defensive specialist, called by Kobe Bryant "the toughest defender I've ever faced". Drafted by the Celtics in 2004, he played in Boston through 2009-10, winning the title in 2008 (as a teammate to Ray Allen, who is not related). He then joined the Memphis Grizzlies as a free agent and that is where his defense really shined- much of the success the Grizzlies achieved during the "Grit and Grind Era" is directly attributed to him. The Grizzlies decided not to bring him back and he played a partial season with the New Orleans Pelicans, before being traded to his hometown Chicago Bulls, who released him without ever playing a game for them. He has not played since then (this occurred last season) but he is not retired- he's hoping to get back to the NBA. He was named to the All-Defensive Team six times. He has appeared in 820 games to date. Eventually I plan to rescan this card as I got it before I had a scanner capable of doing Panini cards properly.

#49 Morris Almond

2006-07 Finest Silver Refractor #125

 Morris Almond is a player who's career was entirely while I was away from the game from 2006-12. (now considered one of my biggest regrets). He only got a chance to play in 38 NBA games- 34 with the Jazz in 07-08 and 08-09 and 4 with the Wizards in 2011-12. He spent much more time in the D-League, including at one point holding the record for highest scoring game, though it has since been surpassed. He led the D-League in scoring percentage in 2007-08 as a rookie. He also played in Spain, Italy, Ukraine and Serbia before finishing his career back in the D-League in 2013-14. He started a Non-Profit organization but the last post on their social media account was in 2013. I have only two cards of him. This card was actually issued as a redemption before he was even drafted.

#50 Derrick Alston

1995-96 Stadium Club #271

Bronx native Derrick Alston had only a brief NBA career- 149 games over the three seasons of 1994-95 through 1996-97, all but the final 2 games coming with the 76ers, those last two with the Hawks- but had an extensive career overseas, playing in Turkey, Spain, France, Russia, New Zealand and Argentina, with long stints in Spain (1997-98 through 2004-05) and Argentina (2008-12). As soon as he retired, he stepped into coaching, first as an assistant with the Rockets, currently as an assistant with the Westchester Knicks of the G-League.