Longshot

Lance Allred was probably the last person youâd expect to make it in professional sports. Not only did he grow up on a polygamist commune in Montana, he struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder. If those hurdles to the NBA donât seem large enough, Lance is also deaf. Self-deprecating, witty, and wholly original, Longshot is the story of an unlikely athlete, who despite these factors and a lot of setbacks along the way, finally realized his dream of playing in the NBA, becoming the first legally deaf player in the league. Lance refused to let othersâ expectations hinder his dreams, and his refreshing sense of humor about his disability allowed him to face these setbacks without giving up. From his childhood on the commune where he was âMormon royaltyâ (his grandfather was prophet Rulon Allred of the fundamentalist sect) to his first time picking up a basketball (eighth grade), to his clumsy efforts to build his skills while growing into his 6â 11â frame, Longshot is a riveting account of a young man finding his purpose and letting the love of the game drive him toward his ultimate goal. Going inside the competitive world of collegiate basketball and the strange experience of playing professionally in Europe with paychecks that never arrive and a knee injury Lanceâs team didnât want to cover, Longshot also recounts the moment when Lance hit rock bottom. When he came back to the United States for surgery, Lance was prepared to let go of his basketball dreams and become a high school history teacher like his dad. But luckily he had an agent who didnât want to see Lanceâs dream die, and who found him a deal with the Idaho Stampede, a Development League team in Boise. Although it was paltry pay, it was the last resort. And Lance slowly began to be noticed. Revealing the resilient heart of a young man who truly believes that itâs not about failure or success but about being willing to try, Longshot is a Rudy story for a new generation, a tale of inspiration, dedication, and the power of a dream.

Author / Editor: Allred, Lance

Category: Biographies

ISBN: 9780061880018

DO NOT BUY, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE FREE MOBIPOCKET READER