Lance Blanks

Former NBA player[50]

What is Lance Blanks known for?

Lance Blanks, born September 9, 1966, in Del Rio, Texas, was an American professional basketball player and executive. He attended The Woodlands High School, in The Woodlands, Texas, where his notable accomplishments led to him being named Texas Mr. Basketball and a third-team Parade All-American in 1985.

Blanks went on to play college basketball at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin. He and his Texas Longhorns teammates, Travis Mays and Joey Wright, were known as the "BMW Scoring Machine" during the 1989–90 season. This team had a commendable run, finishing third in the Southwest Conference and advancing to the Elite Eight in the 1990 NCAA tournament. Blanks left a significant mark at the University of Texas, holding the record for the highest number of points by a two-year player and ranking eighth overall in the university's scoring history.

Post-college, he was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft with the 26th overall pick. His NBA career spanned three seasons, during which he played for the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves. He also spent several seasons playing in Europe. For his career in the NBA, Blanks accumulated 289 points (averaging 2.0 points per game), 110 rebounds (averaging 0.8 rebounds per game), and 117 assists (averaging 0.8 assists per game). His stats can be further explored through NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com.

His influence extended beyond his playing career as he worked as an analyst for ESPN and served as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2010 to 2013. His significant contributions to the sport led to his induction into Texas Athletics' Longhorn Hall of Honor in 2007. Lance Blanks passed away on May 3, 2023, in Dallas, Texas at the age of 56.