Alphonso Ford facts for kids

Alphonso Gene Ford (October 31, 1971 – September 4, 2004) was an amazing American basketball player. He was known for being one of the best scorers in college basketball history. Standing at 1.92 meters (about 6 feet 3 inches) tall, he played as a shooting guard.

After a short time in the NBA, he became a professional player in Europe. Ford showed off his incredible scoring skills in the EuroLeague, which is a top basketball league in Europe. He was the EuroLeague's top scorer twice, in 2001 and 2002. He was also chosen for the All-EuroLeague team three times. To honor his memory, the award for the EuroLeague's top scorer is now called the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy.

Alphonso Ford: A Basketball Star

Early Days in College Basketball

Alphonso Ford was a star player in high school at Amanda Elzy High School in Greenwood, Mississippi. When he started playing college basketball at Mississippi Valley State University, he quickly became famous. In his first year (1989–90), he led all players in NCAA Division I by scoring 29.9 points per game.

In his second year, he scored even more, averaging 32.7 points per game. He made history by being the first player in NCAA Division I to average at least 25 points per game for four years in a row. With a total of 3,165 points in his college career, he is the 5th highest scorer of all time in NCAA Division I. Only a few legendary players like Pete Maravich scored more.

Playing Pro: NBA and CBA

After college, Ford was picked 32nd overall in the 1993 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He played a few games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1993–94 NBA season. Then, in the 1994–95 NBA season, he played five games for the Philadelphia 76ers.

During these years, Ford also played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for the Tri-City Chinook. In his first year in the CBA, he averaged 22.8 points per game. This showed everyone what an amazing scorer he was. He won many awards, including Rookie of the Year, and was chosen for the CBA All-League Team. He also played in the CBA All-Star Game. The next season, he continued to shine, scoring 24 points per game and playing in the All-Star Game again.

Conquering Europe

First Steps in Europe

In the 1995–96 season, Ford moved to Spain to play for Peñas Huesca in the Spanish first division. He played really well, averaging 25.1 points per game. However, his team was moved down to a lower league.

The next season, Ford went to Greece to play for Papagou in the Greek Basket League, which was a very competitive league. He led his team to a ninth-place finish and was the top scorer in the Greek league, with 23.9 points per game.

Before the 1997–98 season, Ford was diagnosed with leukemia, a serious illness. This meant his contract with Papagou had to end. He spent the whole season getting treatment. But Ford was determined to play again. He signed a one-year deal with Sporting, another Greek club. He helped the team finish in a good eleventh place. More importantly, he showed incredible strength by playing while fighting his illness.

In 1999, Ford joined Nikas Peristeri, a Greek club with bigger goals. He quickly became a key player for the team. He averaged 22.7 points per game in the Greek League, helping Peristeri finish fifth. He also played in his first European competition, the FIBA Korać Cup, where he scored 20.7 points per game. His team reached the top 16 before being knocked out.

Becoming a EuroLeague Star

Ford's biggest season was his second with Peristeri, in 2000–01. The team competed for the Greek League title and finished third. Ford was named the league's Most Valuable Player. That year, Peristeri also played in the EuroLeague for the first time. Ford was amazing, becoming the EuroLeague Top Scorer with 26 points per game.

He had a memorable game where he scored 41 points against Tau Ceramica in the playoffs. He scored more than half of his team's points that night! Even though his team lost, Ford's performance became a legend in the EuroLeague. He was also chosen for the All-EuroLeague First Team, showing he was a true superstar.

For the 2001–02 season, Olympiacos, a powerful Greek EuroLeague team, signed Ford. His goal was to help the team win trophies again. He quickly made an impact, leading Olympiacos to win the Greek Basketball Cup. In the final game, he scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had 3 assists.

In the EuroLeague 2001–02 season, Olympiacos reached the Top 16 stage. Ford was again the EuroLeague's EuroLeague Top Scorer, averaging 24.8 points per game. He was also selected for the All-EuroLeague Second Team. The season ended with his team losing in the Greek League finals, partly because Ford missed the last two games due to an injury.

In the 2002–03 season, Ford signed with Mens Sana Siena in Italy. He quickly fit in with his new team. Even though his scoring average in the EuroLeague was a bit lower (17.9 points per game), he was still chosen for the All-EuroLeague First Team. Siena made it to the 2003 EuroLeague Final Four, which is the championship tournament.

In the semifinal game, Ford had a tough shooting night, scoring 15 points. His team lost a very close game. In the Italian League 2002–03 season, Ford averaged 19.1 points per game, and Siena finished in fourth place.

Final Season and Passing

Even though his leukemia was very advanced, Alphonso Ford bravely played his final season in 2003–04 with Scavolini Pesaro in Italy. He averaged 22.2 points per game in the Italian League. He helped Scavolini finish fourth in the league, which meant they qualified for the next EuroLeague season. They also reached the finals of the Italian Basketball Cup.

Shortly after announcing he was retiring from the EuroLeague, Alphonso Ford passed away from leukemia on September 4, 2004. He was only 32 years old. He is remembered by his wife, Paula, and their children, Quekenshia, Karlderek, and Alphonso Jr.

To honor his incredible scoring ability and his brave fight, the EuroLeague named its annual award for the leading scorer the Alphonso Ford EuroLeague Top Scorer Trophy. The player who took Ford's place on Scavolini Pesaro, Charles Smith, actually won this award the very next season.

Team titles and personal accomplishments

• 2× CBA All-Star Game: (1994, 1995)
• 3× Greek All-Star Game: (1996, 2000, 2002)
• 4× Greek League Top Scorer: (1997 – 23.9 ppg, 1999 – 22.7 ppg, 2000 – 22.7 ppg, 2001 – 24.1 ppg)
• 2× All-EuroLeague First Team: (2001, 2003)
• 2× EuroLeague Top Scorer: (2001 – 26.0 ppg, 2002 – 24.8 ppg)
• Greek League MVP: (2001)
• All-EuroLeague Second Team: (2002)
• Greek Cup Winner: (2002)
• Greek Cup MVP: (2002)
• Greek Cup Finals Top Scorer: (2002)
• No. 9 retired by Papagou
• No. 10 retired by Peristeri

See also

In Spanish: Alphonso Ford para niños

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders