Andrew Lang (basketball)
Andrew Charles Lang Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA.
After a four-year career at the University of Arkansas, Lang was selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 3rd pick in the 2nd round of the 1988 NBA draft. He quickly developed a reputation as a proficient shotblocker. For years, he maintained the fourth all-time NBA record of one blocked shot every 9.12 minutes.
Lang was traded in 1992 to the Philadelphia 76ers for NBA All-Star forward Charles Barkley.
This journeyman center also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks before retiring in 2000. He finished his career averaging 6.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game.
Lang is the 55th all-time leading shot blocker in NBA history.
He is known infamously in New York for a 1997 incident at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, involving Knicks star center Patrick Ewing. After a midair collision with Lang, Ewing fell on his wrist and did not return until the second round of the playoffs. Ewing never again regained his All-Star form after that injury. Lang later signed with the Knicks to be Ewing's backup at the center position.
Lang is a Christian evangelist and is currently employed by the Atlanta Hawks as the team chaplain. Lang lives in Marietta, Georgia with his wife, Bronwyn. His son Trey played college basketball for the UMass Minutemen. His other son, Chad, played college basketball for the Belmont Bruins and the Lipscomb Bisons.
