Lance Stephenson
Encyclopedia
Lance Stephenson, Jr. is an American professional basketball
player for the Indiana Pacers
. He was drafted with the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft
. He is a shooting guard
and attended Lincoln High School in the Coney Island
section of Brooklyn. Stephenson won city basketball championships in all four years of high school, and is New York State's all-time leading scorer in high school basketball. After his senior year he was named New York State Mr. Basketball
and was named to the McDonald's All-American Team
in 2009.
tournament. And before his first year of high school, he attended the Adidas ABCD Camp, where he challenged O.J. Mayo to a one-on-one game.
In the summer of 2005, Stephenson enrolled at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School
, but he only attended the school for three days, before the school lost in the championship game of a youth league and he did not win the tournament MVP. The following week, Stephenson did not return to classes at Bishop Loughlin, and was attending Abraham Lincoln High School near his home in Coney Island
. National Basketball Association
players Stephon Marbury
and Sebastian Telfair
had also attended and played basketball at Lincoln High. Head coach Dwanye Morton said, "{Stephenson} always talked about outdoing Sebastian, outdoing Stephon,", and called him "The best I've ever had at Lincoln." Stephenson went on to lead the Railsplitters to the city title that year.
Lincoln High repeated as champions his sophomore and junior years, while Stephenson won back-to-back Player of the Year honors from the New York Daily News
.
In July 2008, Stephenson tried out for the United States national team's under-18 team, but was cut because of chemistry reasons.
On February 15, 2009, Stephenson passed fellow Lincoln High School alumnus Telfair's previous record of 2,785 points in the Brooklyn borough title game to become the all-time leading scorer for high school basketball in New York State. In March 2009, Stephenson led Lincoln High to an unprecedented fourth consecutive Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) class AA championship. Stephenson scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to in the 78–56 final win against John F. Kennedy, and helped Lincoln become the first school in city history to win four straight titles.
Stephenson's high school career ended in the New York State semifinal, where Rice High School
beat Lincoln 77–50, and Stephenson was held to 12 points by Rice's Durand Scott
, who also beat out Stephenson for the Daily News New York City player of the year honor. He ended his career with 2,946 points.
In April 2009, Stephenson played in the McDonald's All-American Game, finishing with 12 points, six assists and three steals.
He was drafted on 6/24/2010 in the 2nd round of the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers.
, which followed eight high school basketball prospects. In 2007 as a high school junior he was named to the annual USA Today
s All-USA boys basketball team, the only non-senior to given that honor.
Stephenson received his "Born Ready" nickname from Bobbito Garcia
, a courtside announcer at Rucker Park
, in the summer of 2006 during a game against older players. Stephenson had just played in a youth all-star game as the only rising sophomore out of the 24 top high school players in the nation, and the adult game that followed was a player short. Garcia said, "I'd seen him go up against seasoned NBA veterans, seasoned college cats, high school kids two or three years older than he was, and he was always reppin', so I just called it. He's Born Ready." Stephenson tattooed the nickname on his right biceps, and also allowed a video crew to document his life for an online reality show titled "Born Ready".
In January 2008, Stephenson was suspended from school for five days and missed two games following an altercation with a teammate. In October that year, he was arrested for groping a 17-year-old inside the school. He faced a Class B misdemeanor sexual assault charge, and his parents ended the "Born Ready" reality show following the arrest.
On August 15, 2010, Stephenson was arrested for third degree assault after allegedly pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs.
and Maryland
as his finalists, but he canceled two announcements, and his father said that he had narrowed his choice to Maryland and Arizona
.
His official visit to Maryland in February came under scrutiny after he was given a tour of the Under Armour
headquarters during his visit. This may have constituted a recruiting violation, as Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank
is a Maryland graduate and on the university's board of trustees, and by NCAA rules, "representative of the institution's athletics interests" or a booster
.
Stephenson initially told reporters he would announce which college he would be attending following the PSAL
title game in March, but delayed the announcement until the McDonald's All-American Game on April 1, saying, "I already know where I'm going. This is not the right place [to make an announcement]." On March 31, Stephenson, who had been expected to commit to Kansas during the All-American game's media event, instead announced that he would delay the announcement again.
In April 2009, another top recruit Xavier Henry
, who had been released from his commitment to Memphis after coach John Calipari
left to take the Kentucky
job, announced he would play for Kansas. Because Henry's commitment put Kansas at the 13-scholarship limit under NCAA rules, it ruled out a scholarship offer for Stephenson.
On May 20, the last day of the late signing period, Stephenson had not signed a letter of intent, but his father Lance Sr. told USA Today
that he would not make a decision until his sexual assault case from October was resolved. The day before, a judge had adjourned
his case until June 29.
On June 30, Andy Katz
of ESPN.com
reported that Stephenson signed a financial aid agreement with the University of Cincinnati
and, he joined them for the Bearcats for the 2009–10 season. Questions remained over his eligibility because of his involvement in his documentary, but on November 6, 2009, the NCAA cleared him to play in Cincinnati's season opener against Prairie View A&M University
on November 15 without missing any games.
.
He was selected by the Indiana Pacers
with the 40th pick of the 2010 NBA Draft
. In his NBA Summer League
debut, he scored 21 points, snared 4 rebounds and dished out 3 assists in a 88-77 win over the Orlando Magic in the NBA's Orlando Summer League.
Stephenson signed a multi year contract with the Pacers on July 22, 2010.
On February 27, 2011, Lance made his NBA debut for the Pacers in a game against the Phoenix Suns. He played four minutes, scored two points, had two assists, grabbed a rebound, and had one turnover. Towards the end of the season, the Pacers demoted Stephenson due to ongoing immaturity issues.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player for the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. He was drafted with the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. He is a shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
and attended Lincoln High School in the Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
section of Brooklyn. Stephenson won city basketball championships in all four years of high school, and is New York State's all-time leading scorer in high school basketball. After his senior year he was named New York State Mr. Basketball
New York Mr. Basketball Award
The Mr. New York Basketball award is presented annually to a high school senior by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York, which includes scholastic and collegiate coaches from across the state.-Award winners:-Awards by school:...
and was named to the McDonald's All-American Team
McDonald's All-American Team
The McDonald's All-American Game refers to each of the all-star basketball games played each year for boys' and girls' high-school basketball graduates. Consisting of the top American and Canadian players, each team plays a single exhibition game after the conclusion of the high-school basketball...
in 2009.
High school career
Stephenson first caught the attention of scouts at age 12, when Clark Francis, a talent evaluator, saw him play at Rumble in the Bronx AAUAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
tournament. And before his first year of high school, he attended the Adidas ABCD Camp, where he challenged O.J. Mayo to a one-on-one game.
In the summer of 2005, Stephenson enrolled at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School
Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School
Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School is a Roman Catholic Christian Brothers university-preparatory secondary school serving students in grades 9 through 12 in Brooklyn, New York. The school is under the jurisdiction of the Brooklyn diocese.-History:...
, but he only attended the school for three days, before the school lost in the championship game of a youth league and he did not win the tournament MVP. The following week, Stephenson did not return to classes at Bishop Loughlin, and was attending Abraham Lincoln High School near his home in Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
. National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
and Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Telfair was the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers out of Abraham Lincoln High School...
had also attended and played basketball at Lincoln High. Head coach Dwanye Morton said, "{Stephenson} always talked about outdoing Sebastian, outdoing Stephon,", and called him "The best I've ever had at Lincoln." Stephenson went on to lead the Railsplitters to the city title that year.
Lincoln High repeated as champions his sophomore and junior years, while Stephenson won back-to-back Player of the Year honors from the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
.
In July 2008, Stephenson tried out for the United States national team's under-18 team, but was cut because of chemistry reasons.
On February 15, 2009, Stephenson passed fellow Lincoln High School alumnus Telfair's previous record of 2,785 points in the Brooklyn borough title game to become the all-time leading scorer for high school basketball in New York State. In March 2009, Stephenson led Lincoln High to an unprecedented fourth consecutive Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) class AA championship. Stephenson scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to in the 78–56 final win against John F. Kennedy, and helped Lincoln become the first school in city history to win four straight titles.
Stephenson's high school career ended in the New York State semifinal, where Rice High School
Rice High School (New York)
Rice High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, United States. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York...
beat Lincoln 77–50, and Stephenson was held to 12 points by Rice's Durand Scott
Durand Scott
Durand Scott is a guard for the University of Miami. As a senior at Rice High School in New York City, he beat out Lincoln High School's Lance Stephenson for Daily News NYC High School Player of the Year after his Rice team defeated the Railsplitters in the semi-finals.Scott, who is 6'3" and...
, who also beat out Stephenson for the Daily News New York City player of the year honor. He ended his career with 2,946 points.
In April 2009, Stephenson played in the McDonald's All-American Game, finishing with 12 points, six assists and three steals.
He was drafted on 6/24/2010 in the 2nd round of the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers.
Off the court
As a sophomore, he was the youngest player featured in the movie Gunnin' for That No. 1 SpotGunnin' For That No. 1 Spot
Gunnin' For That #1 Spot is a 2008 documentary directed by Adam Yauch, founding member of the Beastie Boys. The movie premiered at the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival in April 2008 and opened in theaters June 27, 2008.-Cast:...
, which followed eight high school basketball prospects. In 2007 as a high school junior he was named to the annual USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s All-USA boys basketball team, the only non-senior to given that honor.
Stephenson received his "Born Ready" nickname from Bobbito Garcia
Bobbito Garcia
Robert "Bobbito" García , also known as Kool Bob Love and formerly known as DJ Cucumberslice, Bobbito The Barber, Make It Happen, Boogie Bob, Soul Food Bob, and Bag of Tricks, is a Puerto Rican DJ, writer, entrepreneur, streetball player/coach/announcer, sneaker connoisseur, and member of the Rock...
, a courtside announcer at Rucker Park
Rucker Park
Rucker Park is a basketball court in the Harlem neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard across the street from the former Polo Grounds site...
, in the summer of 2006 during a game against older players. Stephenson had just played in a youth all-star game as the only rising sophomore out of the 24 top high school players in the nation, and the adult game that followed was a player short. Garcia said, "I'd seen him go up against seasoned NBA veterans, seasoned college cats, high school kids two or three years older than he was, and he was always reppin', so I just called it. He's Born Ready." Stephenson tattooed the nickname on his right biceps, and also allowed a video crew to document his life for an online reality show titled "Born Ready".
In January 2008, Stephenson was suspended from school for five days and missed two games following an altercation with a teammate. In October that year, he was arrested for groping a 17-year-old inside the school. He faced a Class B misdemeanor sexual assault charge, and his parents ended the "Born Ready" reality show following the arrest.
On August 15, 2010, Stephenson was arrested for third degree assault after allegedly pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs.
Recruiting
In early 2009, Stephenson chose Kansas, St. John'sSt. John's Red Storm
The St. John's Red Storm is the nickname used for the 16 varsity athletic programs of St. John's University. St. John's 16 NCAA Division I teams compete in the Big East Conference, with the exception of the fencing and lacrosse teams, which compete in the ECAC...
and Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
as his finalists, but he canceled two announcements, and his father said that he had narrowed his choice to Maryland and Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
.
His official visit to Maryland in February came under scrutiny after he was given a tour of the Under Armour
Under Armour
Under Armour is an American sports clothing and accessories company. The company is a supplier of a wide range of sportswear and casual apparel mainly focusing on hi-tech sportswear for professional athletes...
headquarters during his visit. This may have constituted a recruiting violation, as Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank
Kevin Plank
Kevin A. Plank is an American CEO and founder of Under Armour, Inc., a leading manufacturer of sports performance apparel, footwear and accessories based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.-Early life:...
is a Maryland graduate and on the university's board of trustees, and by NCAA rules, "representative of the institution's athletics interests" or a booster
Booster club
A booster club is an organization that is formed to support an associated club, sports team, or organization. Booster clubs are popular in American schools at the high school and university level...
.
Stephenson initially told reporters he would announce which college he would be attending following the PSAL
PSAL
The Public Schools Athletic League, known by the acronym PSAL, is an organization that promotes student athletics in the public schools of New York City. It was founded in 1903 to provide and maintain a sports program for students enrolled in New York City public schools. The PSAL serves both boys...
title game in March, but delayed the announcement until the McDonald's All-American Game on April 1, saying, "I already know where I'm going. This is not the right place [to make an announcement]." On March 31, Stephenson, who had been expected to commit to Kansas during the All-American game's media event, instead announced that he would delay the announcement again.
In April 2009, another top recruit Xavier Henry
Xavier Henry
Xavier Henry is an American professional basketball shooting guard with the Memphis Grizzlies of the Xavier Henry is an American professional [[basketball]] [[shooting guard]] with the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] of the Xavier Henry is an American professional [[basketball]] [[shooting guard]] with...
, who had been released from his commitment to Memphis after coach John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
left to take the Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
job, announced he would play for Kansas. Because Henry's commitment put Kansas at the 13-scholarship limit under NCAA rules, it ruled out a scholarship offer for Stephenson.
On May 20, the last day of the late signing period, Stephenson had not signed a letter of intent, but his father Lance Sr. told USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
that he would not make a decision until his sexual assault case from October was resolved. The day before, a judge had adjourned
Adjournment
An adjournment is a suspension of proceedings to another time or place. To adjourn means to suspend until a later stated time or place.-Law:In law, to adjourn means to suspend proceedings to another time or place, or to end them....
his case until June 29.
On June 30, Andy Katz
Andy Katz
Andy Katz is a senior college basketball journalist for ESPN.com. He is a regular sports analyst on College GameNight on ESPN. Katz earned a B.A. at the University of Wisconsin–Madison , and has worked for ESPN since January 5, 2000....
of ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
reported that Stephenson signed a financial aid agreement with the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. They currently compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Mick Cronin. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in...
and, he joined them for the Bearcats for the 2009–10 season. Questions remained over his eligibility because of his involvement in his documentary, but on November 6, 2009, the NCAA cleared him to play in Cincinnati's season opener against Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a historically black university located in Prairie View, Texas and is a member of the Texas A&M University System. PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master’s degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools...
on November 15 without missing any games.
Professional basketball
On April 7, 2010, Stephenson announced that he would forgo his final three seasons of collegiate eligibility and enter the 2010 NBA Draft2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
.
He was selected by the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
with the 40th pick of the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. In his NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
debut, he scored 21 points, snared 4 rebounds and dished out 3 assists in a 88-77 win over the Orlando Magic in the NBA's Orlando Summer League.
Stephenson signed a multi year contract with the Pacers on July 22, 2010.
On February 27, 2011, Lance made his NBA debut for the Pacers in a game against the Phoenix Suns. He played four minutes, scored two points, had two assists, grabbed a rebound, and had one turnover. Towards the end of the season, the Pacers demoted Stephenson due to ongoing immaturity issues.