Driving home tonight, listening to NPR, I heard a great story about a guy named Lance Allred, a 27 year old guy who's been trying to get into the NBA. Yeah, so what? you might ask...well, here's the deal...he's been playing D leagues (I'm not a sports person...but I think that's what they're called) for several years now, all over the world, in fact, working on his game, trying to make it into the big time, and living lean on the $15,000 per season he earns doing this. Yeah, I know it's his choice, but here is the thing...in addition to the fact that he's a guy who loves basketball and who isn't afraid to go chasing his dream, Lance Allred is legally deaf, with a 75-80% loss of hearing in both ears. Deafness is an incredibly isolating disorder. I think it is SO great that this guy hasn't let that hold him back, that he's pursued his dream...and this story has a happy ending, because a couple of weeks ago, he finally got the call...the Cleveland Cavaliers signed him to a 10-day contract, and on March 25, they signed him to a second 10-day contract.
10-day contracts are player contracts that last ten days or three games, whichever comes later. A team may sign a player to two 10-day contracts in one season, but after the second 10-day contract, the team can only retain the player by signing him for the remainder of the season. Allred was interviewed on NPR right after he'd been signed to the first 10-day contract, and he was totally upbeat. Here's to hoping the Cavaliers sign him for the remainder of the season.
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3 comments:
Hell, Lebron James could hire him for a year on what he earns in one commercial! Hook a dude up Lebron!
Allred also had to overcome the psychological trauma inflicted on him by Coach Rick Majerus when both were at the University of Utah.
I read about that - outrageous! I'm really hoping to hear he's signed.
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