Allan Houston

Allan Wade Houston (born April 20 1971 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA) is a professional basketball player, currently playing shooting guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association. His nickname is "H2O", derived from the first letter of his name and his regular number "20", and acknowledges his graceful jumpshot, which is "smooth as water".

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April 20 - 1971 - Louisville, Kentucky - USA - Basketball - Shooting guard - New York Knicks - National Basketball Association

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Houston played at Ballard High School in Louisville, helping them to win the 1988 Kentucky state championship. He went on to play at the University of Tennessee and graduated in 1993.

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Ballard High School - 1988 - University of Tennessee - 1993

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Houston was drafted 11th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 1993 NBA Draft, and averaged 8.5 points per game in his rookie year. His average was boosted to 14.5 and 19.7 points per game in the next two years.

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Detroit Pistons - 1993 - NBA Draft

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On July 14 1996 Houston signed as a free-agent with the Knicks, where he's been ever since. He kept his scoring average at a consistent 17-point-or-so per-game clip, and led his team to the 1999 NBA Finals. He made the All-Star team in 2000 and 2001.

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July 14 - 1996 - 1999

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In 2001, Houston signed a maximum contract extension with the Knicks, and that proved to be a mistake, because it cut deeply into the Knicks' already grim salary-cap situation and prevented them from making any free-agent moves as their team spiraled into mediocrity. Also, his salary cap number makes him virtually untradeable. He was strictly a jump shooter throughout his career. His lack of other basketball skills made him a liability against good defenders since he couldnt drive, pass the ball, defend or rebound very well.

Related Topics:
2001 - Salary cap

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In addition, Houston missed 32 games in 2003-04 due to a knee injury. In the summer of 2004, he refused to have surgery on his knee claiming he would be ready to play the next season. However, he could play in only 20 games in 2004-05 season because his injury hadnt completely healed. It is very likely that Houston will retire from the NBA sometime in the next few years.

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