Allan Houston
A silky-smooth shooter whose clutch baskets propelled the New York Knicks to their last NBA Finals appearance in the 1990s.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American basketball player·Birthday: April 20·Generation X
Biography
Allan Houston carried the look and demeanor of a corporate executive, but on the basketball court, he was a pure and deadly scorer. The son of a college coach, his textbook jump shot was one of the most reliable weapons in the NBA during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After a solid start with the Detroit Pistons, he found his destiny with the New York Knicks, where his calm under pressure made him a Madison Square Garden favorite. His most legendary moment came in the 1999 playoffs, when a last-second runner in Miami clinched a first-round series and sparked an improbable underdog run to the NBA Finals. Houston's game was built on finesse, not force, and he twice earned All-Star selections as a testament to his efficient scoring. Though a knee injury cut his career short, his legacy is cemented by that iconic shot and his role as the offensive centerpiece of the last great Knicks teams of the 20th century.
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.
Allan was born in 1971, 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 Allan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Allan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
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
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Hit a game-winning, series-clinching shot for the New York Knicks in the final second of Game 5 of the 1999 NBA playoffs first round.
- Played a central role in leading the New York Knicks to the 1999 NBA Finals as an 8th seed.
- Won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team at the 2000 Sydney Games.
- Was selected as an NBA All-Star twice, in 2000 and 2001.
- Scored over 10,000 points during his nine-season tenure with the New York Knicks.
Did You Know?
His father, Wade Houston, was the head basketball coach at the University of Tennessee.
He led the NBA in free-throw percentage during the 2002-2003 season, shooting 91.9%.
He served as the New York Knicks' assistant general manager after his playing career.
He played college basketball at the University of Tennessee, where he is still the all-time leading scorer for the Volunteers.
“Pressure is a privilege. It's a chance to do something when people are watching and it matters.”
