Alan Henderson is an American basketball player from Indianapolis, Indiana. After starring as a high school basketball player, Henderson attended Indiana University. His 23.5 PPG was the highest single-season per game scoring total of the Bobby Knight era. He was drafted 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks and played 12 seasons in the NBA for four different teams. After the 1997-1998 season, he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
| Season | G | GS | Min | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | Off | Def | Reb | A | Stl | BS | TO | Pts | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-1992 | 33 | 26 | 783 | 151 | 297 | 0.508 | 1 | 4 | 0.25 | 80 | 121 | 0.661 | 86 | 152 | 238 | 17 | 32 | 50 | 32 | 383 | 11.6 |
| 1992-1993 | 30 | 25 | 737 | 130 | 267 | 0.487 | 1 | 6 | 0.167 | 72 | 113 | 0.637 | 90 | 153 | 243 | 27 | 35 | 43 | 45 | 333 | 11.1 |
| 1993-1994 | 30 | 29 | 983 | 198 | 373 | 0.531 | 2 | 6 | 0.333 | 136 | 207 | 0.657 | 100 | 208 | 308 | 36 | 39 | 56 | 60 | 534 | 17.8 |
| 1994-1995 | 31 | 31 | 1093 | 284 | 476 | 0.597 | 2 | 10 | 0.2 | 159 | 251 | 0.633 | 106 | 196 | 302 | 54 | 42 | 64 | 89 | 729 | 23.5 |
| Career | 124 | 111 | 3596 | 763 | 1413 | 0.540 | 6 | 26 | 0.231 | 447 | 692 | 0.646 | 382 | 709 | 1091 | 134 | 148 | 213 | 226 | 1979 | 16.0 |
Henderson attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. He set the Marion County career scoring record with 2419 career points, which was also 5th best in Indiana high school basketball state history. He had a terrific senior season, averaging 27.4 points and 15.4 rebounds per game while leading Brebeuf to the 1991 State Championship game, where they would eventually fall to Glenn Robinson’s Roosevelt (Gary) team. Henderson was named an USA Today and McDonald’s All-American.
Henderson made an immediate impact for the Hoosiers as soon as he stepped on the hardwood. As a freshman, he started in 26 of his 33 appearances. He was aggressive offensively, attempting nearly 9 shots per game and averaging 11.6 points. He was the team’s fourth leading scorer behind Calbert Cheaney, Greg Graham, and Damon Bailey. Indiana won 27 games and advanced all the way through the NCAA Tournament to the National Semifinal, losing to #1 Duke 81-78.
As a sophomore, Henderson posted nearly identical statistical numbers on another successful Indiana team. IU finished with 31 wins and were a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The team eventually lost to #2 Kansas in the Midwest Regional Final.
During the 1993-1994 campaign, Henderson’s game went to the next level as more responsibility fell on his shoulders. He was second on the team in scoring and led the team in rebounds, averaging 17.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Finishing 21-9 on the season, Indiana lost to #9 Boston College in the NCAA Tournament.
In 1994, Henderson was also part of the USA squad for the Goodwill Games.
Henderson has his best year as a Hoosier as a senior, averaging 23.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game (leading the team in both categories). His 23.5 PPG was the highest single-season per game scoring total during the Bobby Knight era. He also chipped in an impressive 2.1 blocks, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. The team, however, struggled. Indiana finished just 19-12 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Missouri.
Henderson was also known for his academic prowess. He graduated with a degree in biology and was actually accepted to IU and Howard University medical schools. He was also a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
Alan Henderson was drafted 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks and went on to play 652 games over a 12-year NBA career playing for four teams.
As a rookie, he played in 79 games and averaged 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds. He only made 30 appearances the next year, posting similar statistics.
It was during the 1997-1998 season where Henderson’s NBA career really took off. Henderson averaged 14.3 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the field. During that season, Henderson was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
Over the next three seasons with the Hawks, Henderson continued to provide valuable minutes, averaging at least 10 points and 5 rebounds each season. Then, starting in 2001-2002, Henderson moved into more of a role player with a significant drop in minutes per game.
In August 2004, Henderson, along with teammate John Terry, was traded to the Mavericks for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk. After a season in Dallas, he finished his career with year-long stints in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
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