Hayden Allen

Hayden Allen (born 10 November 1979) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career in the National Basketball League (NBL). He played close to 300 games and scored over 4000 points in his NBL career.[1]

Hayden Allen
Personal information
Born (1979-11-10) 10 November 1979
Dunedin, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealand
Listed height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Listed weight92 kg (203 lb)
Career information
High schoolKing's (Dunedin, New Zealand)
Playing career1998–2017
PositionPoint guard / Shooting guard
Career history
1998–2001Otago Nuggets
2002Waikato Titans
2003–2004Otago Nuggets
2004–2005New Zealand Breakers
2005–2008Harbour Heat
2007–2008Singapore Slingers
2009Auckland Stars
2010–2011Waikato Pistons
2012Auckland Pirates
2013Otago Nuggets
2015Super City Rangers
2016–2017Southland Sharks
Career highlights and awards

Professional career

Allen debuted as a teenager for the Otago Nuggets in 1998 and enjoyed his best season with the club in 2001, when he averaged 20 points per game and was named in the All-Star Five. His first championship title came the following year in 2002 with the Waikato Titans. He returned to Otago for the 2003 and 2004 seasons before joining the New Zealand Breakers as a development player for the 2004–05 NBL season.[2] He went on to play three seasons for the Harbour Heat while also joining the Singapore Slingers for the 2007–08 NBL season.

In 2009, Allen joined the Auckland Stars before returning to Waikato to play with the Pistons in 2010 and 2011. Allen's second championship came in 2012 with the Auckland Pirates. In 2013, Allen returned to Otago to play for the Nuggets once again.[3]

After taking a year off from basketball, Allen signed with the Super City Rangers for the 2015 NBL season on 1 December 2014.[4]

On 1 April 2016, Allen signed with the Southland Sharks for the rest of the 2016 NBL season.[5] On 25 January 2017, he re-signed with the Sharks for the 2017 season.[6] Allen battled a groin injury for much of the 2017 season.[7] On 22 November 2017, he re-signed with the Sharks for the 2018 season.[8] However, he later retired prior to the start of the season.[9]

National team career

In 2012, Allen earned his first Tall Blacks selection to compete at the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Venezuela. He was able to finally follow in the footsteps of his father, Glen, who represented New Zealand in 1973.[10]

Personal

Allen and his wife, Natalie, have three children.[11][12]

On 12 August 2011, Allen was involved in a horrific car accident along with Pistons' teammate Dan Ryan. He was a non-seatbelt wearing passenger in a speeding car that smashed into a wall on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, sending him hurtling through a window and skimming along State Highway 1. Just days from the birth of his first-born, son Reggie, Allen woke up in a hospital bed with stern-faced medics telling him how close he had come to never waking up. Allen says it changed his outlook on life as he looks back at the incident with a perspective that only those who have truly faced their mortality can understand.[13][14]

References
  1. Savory, Logan (31 May 2016). "NBL veteran Hayden Allen in search of third title". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  2. "Basketball: The drift from South to North, no 1". NZHerald.co.nz. 16 October 2004. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  3. Seconi, Adrian (20 April 2013). "Basketball: Allen returns to help". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  4. Anderson, Niall (1 December 2014). "Allen Back In NBL". NZhoops.co.nz. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  5. Savory, Logan (1 April 2016). "Former Tall Black Hayden Allen joins Southland Sharks for rest of NBL season". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  6. Savory, Logan (25 January 2017). "Former Tall Black Hayden Allen signs on for 20th National Basketball League season". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  7. Savory, Logan (25 May 2017). "National Basketball League: Veteran Southland Sharks player Hayden Allen closing in on return". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  8. "Former Tall Black Hayden Allen back for more as he re-signs with Southland Sharks for 2018". Stuff.co.nz. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  9. Egan, Brendon (24 April 2018). "Wellington Saints look to send coach Kevin Braswell off in style with another NBL titl". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 26 April 2018. Major losses: Imports Nick Kay and Mitch Norton, Duane Bailey, Hayden Allen (retired).
  10. "Basketball: Four new names in Tall Blacks". ODT.co.nz. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  11. Seconi, Adrian (9 July 2013). "Basketball: Allen to bow out from Nuggets". ODT.co.nz. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  12. Savory, Logan (23 March 2017). "National Basketball League: Team camaraderie keeps Southland Sharks veteran Hayden Allen hooked". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  13. Fox, Michael (12 August 2011). "High-profile sportsmen in Auckland car crash". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  14. Hinton, Marc (17 June 2012). "Tall Black's dream lives on after horror smash". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
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