By Jessica Camerato
CSNNE.comFollow @JCameratoNBA
Back in 2007, Lance Allred was a member of the Boston Celtics Summer League Team that included Rajon Rondo, Glen Davis, Gerald Green, Leon Powe, Allan Ray, and Brandon Wallace. (And who can forget about Andreas Glyniadakis. Now does it sound familiar?)
Allred averaged just over four points and three rebounds a game for the Cs before continuing his journey throughout basketball, which has taken him to the NBA, D-League, and Europe.
So why is his name being mentioned now?
The 30-year-old big man, who already published the memoir Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, recently wrote a second book, Basketball Gods: The Transformation of the Enlightened Jock.
Even though Allred has played in a total of only three NBA games (Cleveland Cavaliers, 2008 season), he has been through the same situation many current players are facing during the lockoutthe option of going overseas.
Allred talked to SI.com about his book, which touches upon several critical issues to consider about playing outside of the NBA as more and more buzz surrounding international signings emerges during this period.
SI.com: So let our readers in on this: How big is the gap between the teams you played foroutside the top 15 or so European clubsand the very best clubs over there?
Boston Celtics
Allred: Its definitely a lot nicer with those clubs. Id say there are a dozen clubsand just a dozenthat give you really good living conditions. Editor's note: Even playing on those teams involves long bus rides and other non-glamorous, day-to-day stuff. But those clubs still are very much a part of your daily life outside of basketball. In the NBA, you show up to work and get your job done, and they dont ask about your personal life. In Europe, theyll tell you where to be, and if you leave your apartment, they know. Its like you're on lockdown.
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SI.com: Your contract with that team was for 160,000. Did you ever see any of that money?
Allred: No.
SI.com: You went from there to another Italian team, and then to a Ukranian team. Youve played in the NBA and in the D-League. After taxes, how much money have you actually made playing basketball?
Allred: About 120,000. Thats over five years, so youre talking less than 30,000 per year. Its not nearly as lucrative for someone like me as people imagine.
Former Celtics center Nenad Krstic was one of the first players to leave the NBA this summer, signing a multi-year deal with CSKA Moscow. Since then several others have been linked to international teams, including Deron Williams and Sasha Vujacic, both of whom have joined clubs in Turkey.
Jessica Camerato is on Twitter at http:twitter.com!JCameratoNBA.