Al Harrington
A versatile forward who brought scoring and veteran savvy to seven NBA teams over a long and adaptable career.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American basketball player·Birthday: February 17·Generation X
Biography
Al Harrington entered the NBA straight from high school in 1998, a raw talent drafted by the Indiana Pacers. He spent his formative years learning from veterans like Reggie Miller, developing into a tough, physical forward with a reliable mid-range game. Harrington’s career was defined by his adaptability; he thrived as a sixth-man sparkplug in Indiana, became a primary scorer for the high-flying 'We Believe' Golden State Warriors, and later reinvented himself as a floor-spacing power forward with a three-point shot in Denver. His 16-season journey across the league made him a respected locker room presence, known for his business acumen and community work off the court. Harrington’s path demonstrated the value of resilience and evolution in professional sports.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Al was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Al Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Al's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 16 seasons in the NBA for seven different franchises, appearing in over 1,000 games.
- Averaged a career-high 20.1 points per game during the 2008-09 season with the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks.
- Was a key member of the 2007 'We Believe' Warriors team that famously upset the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs.
- Scored over 13,000 points in his NBA career.
Did You Know?
He owns a successful chain of medical marijuana dispensaries called 'Harrington Wellness.'
He played one season (2015-16) for the Fujian Sturgeons in the Chinese Basketball Association.
He is the cousin of former NBA player and coach Juwan Howard.
He founded the Al Harrington Foundation, which focuses on youth education and empowerment.
“I had to reinvent my game every time I changed teams.”
