Lucius Allen facts for kids
Allen (right) defending Walt Frazier of New York in 1969
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1947 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| High school | Wyandotte (Kansas City, Kansas) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UCLA (1966–1968) |
| NBA Draft | 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Pro career | 1969–1979 |
| Career history | |
| 1969–1970 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1970–1974 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1974–1977 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1977–1979 | Kansas City Kings |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 9,407 (13.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,205 (3.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,174 (4.5 apg) |
Lucius Oliver Allen Jr. (born September 26, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player. He is one of the few players who have won a state championship in high school, a national championship in college, and an NBA championship. This makes him a very special player in basketball history!
Contents
Early Life and High School Success
Lucius Allen was born and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He played basketball for Wyandotte High School. He was an amazing player even in high school.
He was named an "All-American" player, which means he was one of the best high school players in the country. He also helped his team win two Class AA state championships in a row, in 1964 and 1965.
College Career at UCLA
Lucius Allen went to UCLA for college. He scored the very first points ever in Pauley Pavilion, UCLA's famous basketball arena. This happened during a game between the freshman team and the varsity team.
During his first year, the UCLA freshman team did not lose a single game! Lucius averaged 22.4 points per game. His roommate at UCLA was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was known as Lew Alcindor back then.
In his second year, Lucius joined the main varsity team. He helped the Bruins have a perfect season, winning all 30 games. They also won the 1967 National Championship. Lucius was recognized for his great play in the championship games.
In his third year, he helped the Bruins win another NCAA Championship. This was their second championship in a row with Lucius and Abdul-Jabbar playing together. He was again named to the NCAA All-Tournament team and was chosen as a second-team All-American.
Professional Basketball Career
After his junior year at UCLA, Lucius Allen decided to join the NBA. He was picked 3rd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1969 NBA draft.
In 1971, Lucius joined the Milwaukee Bucks team. His former college teammate, Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), was also on this team. Together, they won an NBA championship ring!
They almost won another championship in 1974, but they lost to the Boston Celtics in a close 7-game series. This was Lucius's last season with the Bucks. He had one of his best professional games during this time, scoring 39 points and making 6 assists in a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Lucius also played with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for two more seasons (1975–1977) when they were both with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they did not win a championship during those years.
Later, Lucius was traded to the Kansas City Kings. He helped them win their division championship in 1979. After that season, he retired from playing basketball. Lucius played for 10 years in the NBA for four different teams. His highest scoring average in a season was 19.1 points per game.
Life After Basketball
After his successful basketball career, Lucius Allen started coaching young players. He focused on helping aspiring basketball players in the Los Angeles area. He shared his knowledge and experience, which included winning championships at every level: high school, college, and the NBA.
Legacy and Recognition
Lucius Allen is remembered as one of the greatest basketball players from Kansas. In 1999, The Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper named him the best Kansas high school basketball player of the 20th century.
He was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 2000, which is a great honor for college athletes. He was also inducted into the Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Hall of Honor in 2013, recognizing his achievements in the Pac-12 college conference.
Images for kids
-
A friendly robot
See also
In Spanish: Lucius Allen para niños
