Baby Steps

As a kid, Houston grew up with a life revolved around basketball – even his first steps as a toddler were taken on the basketball courts. Allan was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where his father Wade Houston was an assistant coach on Denny Crum’s Louisville Cardinals team.

	Little Allan learned to walk on the basketball courts.

Little Allan grew up with the Louisville program. From Milt Wagner, Darrell Griffith, Derek Smith, Scooter and Rodney McCray all the way to Pervis Ellison, Tony Kimbro, and LaBradford Smith – those high-flying Cardinals were his childhood heroes. He hung around the team so much that he became Louisville’s unofficial mascot, and earned a nickname of Big Al for his gangly size.

“Big Al’s Used Cars is what they used to call me,” Houston reminisced. “I had a lot of nicknames. I got pretty abused.”

At age eight, he cheered on his idols in the stands of Market Square Arena in 1980 with his mother Alice as the Cardinals captured their first national title against Larry Brown’s UCLA Bruins. He was so well liked by the team that he got to ride the team bus back to Louisville.

When Houston was thirteen, he traveled with the team on a preseason tournament in Hawaii. When Crum realized that the injury-hit Cardinals didn’t leave him enough healthy bodies to practice, he enlisted the help of young Houston, who had been dribbling the ball on the sidelines.

“He had to do everything the players did,” Wade said. “The court was dirty and we had to sweep it, so Denny told him, ‘If you want to practice, you better start sweeping.’ Allan was very nervous. He threw the ball all over the gym.”

One day Crum decided to put the young Houston to the test. The proposition was this: he must hit 7 out of 10 free throws or else the entire team would run wind sprints. Allan stepped up and coolly knocked down eight.

His family connections extended beyond the boundaries of the basketball court. The Houston’s doorbell rang on the day of Allan’s second birthday, and on the front porch stood an unexpected guest – Muhammad Ali had come over to wish little Al a happy birthday, just three weeks after having his jaw broken in the ring by Ken Norton. Houston’s mother was a childhood friend of Ali’s, who had lived down the street in Louisville’s West End section.

“Not many kids can say Ali came to their house on their birthday,” Houston said. “A couple of years ago I saw him and wanted to get his autograph. But when I went up and introduced myself, he smiled and asked how my parents were.”

A Fledgling Basketball Star

Unlike many of his NBA peers, Houston had a privileged childhood and grew up respectful of his elders and authority – values he carried to present-day. Those weren’t the only things he learned as a kid however. Under the guidance of his father, Houston developed a sweet and fundamentally sound jumper at an early age.

Allan got into competitive basketball early, which caused him to often go up against bigger, taller kids. At one basketball camp, the fact that the six-year-old Allan was the smallest kid there didn’t’ deter him from going hard against his competition. Down the stretch of one game, he dribbled the length of the court to hit a corner jumper. On the next possession, he did the same thing.

When he was open with the ball once again, he noticed something. In this league, the rules called for you to guard one person and that person only. When Allan noticed that the wrong defender was on him, he decided to punish the rule-breaker in a moment of anger – by punching him.

"Allan's always had a competitive spirit — in anything," his father said. "He always hated losing at an early age."

Houston showed potential even in high school.

If basketball made him emotional at an early age, it also brought him peace. His calm personality was often tested by his two younger sisters, who would both try to get him into trouble every day. They aggravated him so much that he would shoot for hours on the hoop outside his house – something that always cooled him down.

“I thank my sisters now,” he said. “They’re a big reason why I got so skilled.”

Despite having a somewhat sheltered childhood, Houston wasn’t soft on the basketball courts like a suburban teen should be. He often went down to the playgrounds where he played against inner-city kids.

“I wanted to experience an atmosphere where if you scored on somebody enough they were going to try to take your head off.” He said about his playground experience. “I had to get tougher, but I don’t think that has anything to do with my personality. A lot of my friends were bused from the city to my school. I hung out with these guys all the time, and when we played basketball we played hard. I never played nice. I don’t think I could get to this point if I didn’t have any desire or intensity.”

Wade couldn’t often be home to watch his son develop as a basketball player, but every chance he gets, he would play one-on-one with his son. The moment of triumph for Allan came when he was 14 years old – when he beat his dad for the first time and even dunked on him. Allan was so ecstatic that he raced into the house to tell his mom and then proceeded to call his relatives to gloat about his victory.

High School and College

Because of his height, his high school coach attempted to play Houston at the center in his freshman year. But Allan had a natural perimeter game, and he finally convinced the coach to let one of the tallest players on the team start at shooting guard spot.

The decision turned out to be a winner. Allan starred on the basketball team at Ballard High. He started all four years and led the Bruins to the State Championship in 1988 – a moment in which he considers as his most memorable experience in basketball.

	Houston was coached by his father Wade at Tennessee.

As expected, Allan made the verbal commitment to Denny Crum to attend University of Louisville, where his father had played for four years and now served as Crum’s assistant. Then came the unexpected news: Wade was offered the head coaching position at University of Tennessee. When the senior Houston decided to accept the offer, Allan decided to follow his father. After some initial reluctance, Crum finally released Houston from his commitment to Louisville so he can play for his father.

Allan went on to have a stellar career at Tennessee. He averaged over 20 points in each of his four years and became the all-time leading scorer for UT’s men program, and the second leading all-time scorer in the Southeastern Conference – second only to “Pistol Pete” Maravich.

He notched 43 points as a freshman in a memorable one-on-one duel with LSU’s Chris Jackson. Jackson’s 49 points was the difference in LSU’s 109-103 victory, but the game would still go down as one of the best in UT basketball history.

Houston led the Vols to two NIT berths, and nearly led Tennessee to an unlikely NCAA Tournament berth in a miracle run in the 1991 SEC Tournament – the Volunteers fell just short in the championship game against Alabama. Legend also has it that he was on the team of college basketball players that scrimmaged against the 1992 Dream Team and won.

Wade Houston compiled a 65-90 record over five seasons at Tennessee. Going into his senior year for the Volunteers, Allan was under the impression that his father would keep his job. But once Allan graduated, his father was fired. He felt betrayed by the school, as if they had used his father and him.

“If it wasn’t for my father, I would’ve played at Louisville,” Houston said. “I had a lot of great memories at Tennessee. And I earned my degree there. But my father deserved better.”

Disenchanted with the profession, Wade devoted his time instead to a trucking company he started with his wife back in 1982. Today it is the nation’s largest minority-owned trucking and supply company. They are also regular attendees at Knicks’ games – both home and away.

Aside from breaking every record in the house at UT, Houston also earned his degree in African-American Studies – a subject he is still passionate about. Various forms of African-American art decorate his house and he writes often in his online diaries about the situation of African-Americans in the United States. He was also the most ardent supporter of the Knicks’ boycott of training in Charleston in 2000 because of the state’s confederate flag.

On to the Big League

Houston’s first-rate ability as a shooter attracted the interest of NBA scouts. In the 1993 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Houston as the 11th overall pick. His first coach in professional basketball then, as now, was Don Chaney, who was immediately impressed with Houston’s shot.

“His rookie year,” said Chaney, “he had the best-looking shot I have probably seen in terms of fundamentals, release and follow-through.”

Houston’s first season in the NBA was rough at times. Along with Houston, Detroit also selected guard Lindsey Hunter at the 10th spot as eventual replacements to Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars. Houston spent much of his rookie season on the bench backing up Dumars. Still, he averaged 8.5 points per game and showed his potential by hitting 6 of 12 three-pointers and scoring 31 points in a game against the Charlotte Hornets. He also put on display a side of his game fans rarely see by participating in the 1994 Slam-Dunk competition and finishing fourth.

The ’94-’95 season saw the arrival of Houston as a major scoring threat. Despite starting the season slowly – a trait he was known for in his early seasons, Allan came on strong after the All-Star break. With injuries to Dumars and Hunter, Houston got some extended minutes in the rotation and he didn’t disappoint. In the 36 games following the All-Star break he averaged 21.6 points and in the season’s final 18 games, he notched a stellar 25.6 points per contest.

Allan emerged as a bona-fide star in the ’95-’96 season. He became the second-leading scorer on the Pistons behind Grant Hill, averaging 19.3 points per game. He also led Detroit in scoring in the playoffs, averaging 25 points per game in their three games against Orlando. He also shattered a team record by hitting on 42.7% of his three-point shots.

Off the court, Houston was known for his impersonations to keep his teammates loose – with coach Doug Collins as his favorite target.

“I wouldn’t stand up in a comedy show and do it,” Houston said about his impersonations. “I don’t feel as comfortable in my impersonation as I do in my jump shot.”

The Lure of the Big Apple

In the summer of 1996, the New York Knicks cleared cap space to bid for a backcourt complement to Patrick Ewing. Passing over Steve Smith and the renowned Knick-killer Reggie Miller, the Knicks targeted the young, and still unproven jump-shooter from the Detroit Pistons. Faced with the prospect of big money and a chance to play in a major market, Houston jumped by signing a seven-year, $56 million dollar contract on the first day that free agents are allowed to sign.

	Houston was known for his picture-perfect jump shot.

That summer was big for Houston in more ways than one. Introduced by mutual friends, Allan was married to his present wife Tami. Not all of his Pistons teammates were present at the wedding however. Grant Hill was furious that Houston did not give Detroit a chance to counter the Knicks’ offer and skipped Houston’s wedding along with many of his teammates.

Houston’s leaving was a bitter pill to swallow for his former teammates and fans. For years after he signed with New York, the once familiar Palace of Auburn Hills remained a formidable place for Houston to play in. In his first game back in Detroit as a Knick, he was booed every time he touched the ball and his former teammates overplayed him to make sure that he would have a poor outing. Houston admitted to putting too much pressure on himself back in his old arena. In his first four games back at in Detroit, Houston was a combined 11-for-44 with 11 turnovers.

Houston’s spent his first season with the Knicks learning how to play with Ewing and within the Knicks’ system. He also had to earn the trust of his new coach Jeff Van Gundy, who often sat his new shooting guard in fourth quarters of the ’96 – ’97 season.

"Allan thought John, Patrick and Charles were my guys," Van Gundy said, referring to the veterans John Starks, Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley. "And it was understandable. But everybody that's given me the time eventually trusts me after a while. And I end up trusting them."

Despite having his scoring average dip to 14.8 points per game, he was still the second-leading scorer on the team and notched 19.2 points per game during the 1997 playoffs.

Houston underwent surgery on June 2, 1997 to repair partially torn ligaments in his right wrist. The wrist was still sore when training camp began – so much so that he couldn’t even shoot from three-point range. Even so, Houston refused to miss any games. Despite being seen as a soft player by many fans and critics over the years, Houston only missed 10 games in his seven seasons with the Knicks.

"Had I had a couple more months, I might have gained a lot of flexibility, but it was my second year in New York and I didn't want to sit out," Houston said. "I felt like I still had a lot to prove. I had to push it and play through the loss of range of motion and a little bit of pain."

Even now, Houston's range of motion in the wrist is only about 70 percent of what it was. "My game changed," he said. "I just remember when my wrist would go all the way down. My shot looked better then. But it doesn't matter how it looks, really."

A Higher Purpose

As important as basketball is to him, Allan always put his relationship with God before everything else. Raised in a Christian home, Allan was taught at an early age that God came first.

"My mom would always emphasize that God is in control of everything," Houston said. At age 15, he accepted Christ, but it wasn’t until recently that he truly began to live his life for God. After he signed with the Knicks, he had some weighty conversations about faith with his cousin and Christian rapper Sonny Faith.

Houston has always played basketball with a higher purpose in mind.

"We talked a lot about purpose," Allan recalls. "And Sonny put that lighter fluid on my heart and that was it. I rededicated myself to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, which I didn't have as much before, until I really started to read the Word and understanding what the blood of Jesus can do for my life."

“During one conversation (with Sonny) it hit me – I am a basketball star because of the ability God has given me,” Houston wrote on his website. “I knew then that God had given me this gift for a reason and I started to think about the impact I could make as a professional athlete spreading the word of God.”

On the Knicks, Houston’s closest friend is another devout Christian Charlie Ward. They hold bible studies on the road and pre-game chapels before every Knick game. Houston credits Ward for playing a big role in his spiritual growth.

"It was just a matter of his being willing to want more of the Lord. And he did it," Ward says with a smile. "Now we try to hold each other accountable and talk about Scripture. It's kind of like you want to out-do the other one. If he comes in with something he's learned, I want to come in with something I've learned that much more."

"Allan's grown by leaps and bounds," says John Love, who serves as chaplain for Knicks players. "He's made great strides in his faith. What impresses me most about him is that he has a godly scale of priorities, where the kingdom of God comes first."

To spread the word of God, Houston joined C.A.U.S.E – Christian Athletes United for Spiritual Empowerment. He also launched his website AllanHouston.com with the purpose of influencing people spiritually in a positive manner.

Houston’s religious faith has also gotten him embroiled in some heated controversy. In 2001, a writer for the New York Times Magazine wrote about a bible study he attended with Houston and Ward. The quotes attributed to Ward and Houston were found to be anti-Semitic by many people. Though Ward took the brunt of the criticism, Houston felt some of the heat as well.

“Being a Christian and a professional athlete many times requires us to take the less popular road, the road that people sometimes don’t understand.” Houston wrote on his website, “But I find joy and strength in knowing that I am fulfilling God’s purpose for my life.”

Road to Super Stardom

Houston began to emerge as a bigger star on the Knicks in the ’97-’98 season, especially after Patrick Ewing went down with a wrist injury on December 20, 1997 that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He led the underhanded Knicks to the playoffs as a 7th seed without their franchise center and upset the 2nd seeded Miami Heat.

No problems between Houston and Spree.

In 1999, the Knicks brought in newcomers Marcus Camby and Latrell Sprewell. On the surface, it seemed that the coach-choking Sprewell and the mild-mannered Houston would have a cultural clash, but Houston said that there has been no problems.

"I think so many people wanted that relationship to be a conflicting relationship, but I think we have so much respect for each other," Houston said. "All we want to do is try to make it work. People don't realize that I've learned so much from Spree about how he attacks. I think it's helped playing with him and watching him."

After the Knicks barely squeezed into the playoffs in the lockout-shortened season as an 8th seed, Houston helped to lead the Knicks on a miraculous run all the way to the NBA Finals. He hit one of the biggest shots in Knicks playoff history as he knocked out the top-seeded Miami heat with two bounces of the ball in Game 5. He closed out Game 6 against the Indiana Pacers with a stellar 32-point performance to send the Knicks to the NBA Finals. Twenty-four hours after that game, his wife Tami gave birth to the couple’s first child.

“Basically, it’s the happiest day of my life,” he said. “To have those things happen back to back is amazing. God just put his blessings on me, all at one time.”

	Houston was selected to participate in the 2000 Olympics.

Even though the Knicks would fall short in the Finals, Houston had captured the attention of the league with his playoff heroics. That summer, he was selected as a member of the Olympic team and he helped to bring the United States a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Houston was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career in 2000 and was again selected in 2001. He took on a different type of role in 2000 as he played a supporting role in James Toback’s movie “Black and White”. In the movie, Houston plays a college basketball star that decides to accept a large sum of money to throw the results of a game that leads to some dire consequences. Though his performance received mixed reviews, most agreed that it wasn’t terrible for an acting debut.

Houston with Claudia Schiffer in "Black and White".

In the summer of 2001, the Knicks re-signed Houston to an extravagant six-year, $100 million dollar contract – making him the highest paid player in franchise history. As the Knicks sunk to a two-year playoff-less run, fans saw the overpaid Houston – the lone captain on the Knicks – as the embodiment of the Knicks’ problems. He became the boobirds’ favorite target after Patrick Ewing was traded from the team. He was even booed at his own charity event in 2001.

	Houston signs a 6-year, $100M contract with the Knicks.

Burdened by the weight of the expectations that came attached to his contract, Houston struggled and was oftentimes inconsistent in the 2001-2002 campaign. However, in this past season, Houston really came into his own by working hard to improve his overall game. As a result, he completed the best statistical season of his career by averaging 22.5 points per game – 10th best in the league – and delivered two scintillating 50-point performances within a span of a month. The critics haven’t been silenced, but for the time being, they’ve piped down.

Even though he just had a career year, Houston is still striving to improve. "I think this was my best year,” he said, “but I don't want to sit back in my recliner and watch 50-point games (on tape). I always want to get better."

Giving Back

Despite his riches, Allan hasn’t forgotten to give back to the community. He is extremely active in his community service and has a passion especially for the education of children.

"I'm committed to creating an environment for growth - spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and, where possible, professionally - where youth can nurture their gifts and explore their God-given talents" says Allan. "This is ultimately the goal of my charitable endeavors."

Houston is extremely active in community service.

In November 2001, Allan Houston and his wife, Tamara, created the Allan Houston Charitable Fund. Its objective is to give back to organizations that support, encourage and impact the lives of children. The first donation from the fund was a $100,000 gift to the New York City Board of Education's (NYCBOE) World Trade Center Fund, which was created to help meet the physical and psychological needs of students and schools after the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.

As a part of his Knicks community service, Allan created the “My Teacher Is My Hero” award. Students are asked to submit essays in which they write about how a teacher positively impacted his or her life. The writers of the winning essays, along with their teachers, are invited to a Knicks game and be presented an award by Allan at half-time. Houston also created “Allan’s Courtside Classroom” in which selected students of academic excellence join him in a Knick game and even have a meal with him.

Houston’s involvement in various community services has earned him many community accolades over the years. He was named as one of The Sporting News' "99 Good Guys in Sports" in the summer of 2000. More recently, he was presented with the H.O.O.P.S. (Helping Out Our Public Schools) award on April 9, 2003. On the basketball courts, he was twice nominated for the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

When he’s not playing basketball, Allan enjoys reading and writing, playing golf, and just spending time with his wife and two children. He lists fashion as a hobby and even owns his own clothing line. Even though his son is just one-year old, Allan has attached a little hoop on the baby’s crib in hopes that the Houstons’ tradition of basketball excellence would continue.

“It’s never too early to learn to hoop,” says Allan.