Nationality American Name Lucius Allen Weight 79 kg | Listed weight 175 lb (79 kg) Height 1.88 m Listed height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Role Basketball Player Children Geoffrey Allen | |
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NBA draft 1969 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall Education University of California, Los Angeles Similar People Jon McGlocklin, Bob Dandridge, Gail Goodrich, Sidney Wicks, Henry Bibby | ||
Lucius Oliver Allen, Jr. (born September 26, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player.
In 1999, the Topeka Capital-Journal named Lucius Oliver Allen, Jr. of Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, as the greatest high school basketball player in Kansas during the 20th century. Allen was a prep All-American player under legendary head coach Walt Shublom and was named consensus first-team all-state as a junior and senior as he led Wyandotte to back-to-back Class AA state championships in 1964 and '65.
Prior to his National Basketball Association (NBA) career, he was a starter on two of legendary coach John Wooden's UCLA NCAA Championship teams, in 1967 and 1968. These teams are considered by many to be the greatest in men's college basketball history. After being suspended for his senior year at UCLA for receiving a second citation for possessing a small quantity marijuana, Allen was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1969 NBA draft and retired in 1979. As a member of the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks team, which also featured UCLA teammate Alcindor, Allen earned an NBA championship ring. He also played with Abdul-Jabbar for two seasons, from 1975–77, in Los Angeles, but not winning a championship in either of those years. Allen was traded the following season to cross-town, Missouri-based Kansas City Kings, winning the division championship in 1979, and retired from basketball after that season.
Allen played 10 years in the NBA for four different teams. His highest scoring average was 19.1 points per game, during the 1974–75 season. Part of the way through that season he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after playing with the Milwaukee Bucks since the 1970–71 season.
He was inducted into the Pac-12 Conference men's basketball Hall of Honor on March 16, 2013.
After finishing his storied basketball career which included a high school state championship, college national championship, and an NBA championship, Allen turned his attention to coaching aspiring players in the Los Angeles area.