By the end of his high school career, the extra work was paying dividends. Allred was named the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year. He averaged 17.3 points per game, 9.8 rebounds, shot 73 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free throw line. Allred also made the honor roll. He is grateful for Rupp's influence and guidance.

"I had a great coach in Kerry Rupp," Allred said. "He taught me work ethic and installed positive thinking. He helped me see that the sky was the limit."

Allred was rewarded for his efforts with a hoop scholarship at the University of Utah, where he sat out a year and played two before transferring to Weber State. He also competed for the United States in the World Deaf Basketball Championships in Greece. Allred posted solid numbers as a junior for the Wildcats and then put in one of the best summer-conditioning efforts that WSU coach Joe Cravens said he had ever seen. He bulked up with 25 pounds of muscle and worked feverishly on his inside game.

The hard work continued to pay off. As a senior at WSU, Allred averaged 18 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. He finished in the top five nationally in rebounding. He led the Big Sky with 19 double-doubles (double digits in both points and rebounds) and was the only player in the conference to average double figures in points and rebounds.

"You condition for success and he's done that. It's been fun to see his progress," Rupp said.

Allred's coach at Weber State, Joe Cravens, expects Lance will do well as a pro.

"I think he has a legitimate shot to make an NBA roster," Cravens said recently. "He may have to do it through the back door, so to speak, but he will make a good living playing basketball."

Cravens continued, "I have seen a lot of guys on NBA benches that I thought would be slam dunks and others who I didn't think would make it and did. But I do know he has a lot of things going for him. He works extremely hard, and those attributes will serve him well in his quest. "

Allred said that if he hasn't made an NBA team's roster by August, he would make a decision on his international basketball future. If he does decide play overseas, it will be in either Spain or Italy. No matter what he does, Rupp is proud of everything Allred has accomplished, especially in earning a college degree.

"People don't understand what he's been through. He's been knocked down a few times with thunderbolts and lightning and always picked himself up and kept going," Rupp said.

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The Lance Allred File

Full Name: Lance Collin Allred

Birthday: Feb. 2, 1981

Height: 6-foot-10

Weight: 270

Position: Center

High school: East