Never a big scoring threat, 6-11 Andrew Lang has provided inside toughness and shotblocking for six teams during his NBA career. A native of Pine Bluff, Ark., Lang attended college at Arkansas, where he twice set season records for blocked shots. He left as the Razorbacks' all-time leading shotblocker and fourth-leading rebounder and came to the NBA as a second-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns in 1988.
Lang had a limited impact with the Suns in his first three seasons. Playing behind Mark West, he averaged only 8.5 minutes in 62 contests as a rookie. The next two seasons he finished second on the club in blocked shots behind West. He averaged 4.9 points and shot .577 from the field in 1990-91 but was limited to 63 games because of injuries. The 1991-92 season saw Lang turn in one of his best performances. He logged more than 20 minutes per game, improved his scoring average to 7.7 points per game, averaged a career-high 6.7 rebounds, and finished 10th in the league in blocked shots at 2.48 per contest. During the offseason he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers along with Jeff Hornacek and Tim Perry for Charles Barkley.
After one season in Philadelphia, Lang signed with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent. He had an outstanding season for the Hawks in 1994-95, posting career highs in points, minutes, and free throw percentage while finishing 13th in the league in blocked shots. Lang was playing better than ever for the Hawks in 1995-96 when he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in February along with Spud Webb for Christian Laettner and Sean Rooks. He appeared in 71 games for the two teams, scoring a career-high 11.7 points per game and also contributing 6.4 rebounds and 1.77 blocked shots per game, the latter ranking 13th in the NBA.
After the season, Lang was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for a first-round draft pick, completing an earlier deal in which Minnesota had sent Ray Allen and a No. 1 pick to Milwaukee for Stephon Marbury. He started 52 games at center for the Bucks in 1996-97, a season marred by two trips to the injured list because of Achilles tendinitis, and averaged 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. The Bucks' acquisition of Ervin Johnson pushed Lang to the bench in 1997-98, when he appeared in 57 games for Milwaukee. Obtained by Chicago for a second-round draft pick on January 22, 1999, Lang spent more than half the abbreviated 1998-99 season on the injured list but appeared in 21 games, 13 as a starter. Prior to the start of the 1999-2000 training camp, Lang signed as a free agent with the New York Knicks, adding depth to a frontcourt which also includes Patrick Ewing, Marcus Camby, Chris Dudley and Larry Johnson.
1999-2000 NOTES
Lang totaled 10 points and 9 rebounds in a 107-82 win over Dallas on Nov. 29. He corralled a game-high 12 rebounds in an 86-79 victory in Golden State on Nov. 20.
1998-99 NOTES
Lang played 21 games in his first season with the Bulls, making 13 starts. He was placed on the injured list with a sprained medial collateral ligament of the left knee on March 18 and missed the final 28 games of the season. He also sat out one game due to coach's decision.
Stepping into the starting center position vacated by Luc Longley, who was traded to Phoenix after winning three championship rings with the Bulls, Lang started the Bulls' first seven games and 12 of their first 16. He averaged 3.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game, ranking fourth on the team in rebounding. As a starter he averaged 5.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg in 22.5 mpg. Lang scored a season-high 14 points on February 27 at Charlotte, the only game in which he scored in double figures. He grabbed double-figure rebounds four times, including a season-high 14 on February 7 at the Clippers.
Lang was placed on the injured list on March 18 due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He posted 14 points (5-6 FG, 4-5 FT) and a game-high 10 rebounds, for his first double-double with the Bulls, in a 94-77 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 27. He registered 7 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in an 89-84 victory over the L.A. Clippers on Feb. 10.
1997-98 NOTES
The acquisition of Ervin Johnson meant a more limited role for Lang, who played in 57 games for Milwaukee, all as a reserve, and averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game, his lowest figures since his rookie season. He started the season on the injured list, missing the first nine games while recovering from a torn flexor tendon on his right ring finger which occurred on the first day of training camp. He also missed two games due to a death in the family.
Lang's shooting percentage of .378 was the lowest of his NBA career. Lang scored in double figures four times and had one double-double, getting 11 points and a season-high 13 rebounds at Miami on March 27. He scored a season-high 13 points at Utah on January 8.
1996-97 NOTES
Lang started 52 games at center in his first season with Milwaukee, but his season was interrupted by two trips to the injured list. He missed 10 days in November and five weeks in the second half of the season, both because of right Achilles tendinitis. He averaged 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.90 blocks in 23.0 minutes, shooting .464 from the field and .721 from the line. He scored in double figures seven times, getting a season-high 19 points in a 96-93 defeat at Toronto on Dec. 19. He grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds in a 100-87 win over Boston on Dec. 8, one of five 10+ rebound games. He twice recorded four blocked shots, against Detroit on Dec. 10 and against New Jersey on April 10.
1995-96 NOTES
Lang split the 1995-96 season between Atlanta and Minnesota and averaged a career-high 11.7 points per game, along with 6.4 rebounds and 1.78 blocks per game, 13th-best in the NBA. He started the first 51 games of the season for Atlanta and averaged 12.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.67 blocks per game before being traded to Minnesota on Feb. 22. Spud Webb also went to the Timberwolves, while Christian Laettner and Sean Rooks were sent to Atlanta.
In 20 games for Minnesota, 18 of them starts, Lang averaged 8.8 point, 6.1 rebounds and 2.05 blocks per game. He had 20 points and 24 rebounds at Philadelphia on March 6 and eight blocks against Miami on March 3, his highs in a Minnesota uniform. He missed 11 games beginning on March 10 due to a slight tear to the left calf muscle. Following the season, the Timberwolves dealt Lang to Milwaukee for a future first-round draft pick.
1994-95 NOTES
The trade of Kevin Willis to the Miami Heat created an opportunity for Lang to log some playing time in the middle for the Atlanta Hawks, and the seven-year veteran responded with a fine year. The only player to appear in all 82 games for Atlanta in 1994-95, he started in 63 contests and played a career-best 2,340 minutes. Lang began the season with a career average of 5.1 points per game and then nearly doubled that mark, scoring 9.7 points per contest. His 144 blocked shots translated into 1.76 rejections per game and ranked 13th in the league.
Lang put in a memorable performance at the free-throw line in 1994-95. A career .717 shooter from the charity stripe, he missed only 33 of 188 attempts for a free-throw percentage of .809. Lang played well down the stretch as the Hawks fought to gain a spot in the playoffs. In the last 11 games of the regular season he averaged 12.2 points and 1.9 blocked shots. The Hawks were seeded seventh in the postseason after putting up a 42-40 record but were swept by the Indiana Pacers in the first round. Lang started all of the team's postseason contests, averaging 10.3 points and 4.0 rebounds.
1993-94 NOTES
While making room for incoming rookie Shawn Bradley, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to unload a few salaries; they renounced their rights to Lang on August 27. As a free agent, Lang decided to take his solid but unspectacular game to the Atlanta Hawks-and that was a spectacular move. Lang spent the 1993-94 season backing up center Jon Koncak.
Lang's role with Atlanta was to rebound and play defense, and he seemed to have found the perfect home for his complementary game. Appearing in all 82 contests, he ranked second on the team in blocks (87) while averaging 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per game. He had season highs of 20 points against the San Antonio Spurs on December 9 and again against the 76ers on April 16. He also managed 12 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers on December 16. With the Hawks nabbing the top playoff spot in the Eastern Conference at 57-25, Lang found himself in the postseason for the fifth time in his six-year career. The Hawks advanced to the Conference Semifinals before losing to the Pacers in six games. Lang played in all 11 postseason contests and averaged 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds.
1992-93 NOTES
Phoenix had put together four straight 50-win seasons, and yet the Suns still had not reached the NBA Finals. The Suns were a talented team, but they needed that missing link-they needed a superstar. So, armed with trade bait, the Suns went out and got themselves a superstar in June 1992, when they traded Lang, Tim Perry, and Jeff Hornacek to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley.
Sure enough, Phoenix broke the 60-win barrier in 1992-93, finishing at 62-20, and advanced to the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, Lang suffered through a 26-56 season with the Sixers. He started 59 of 73 games and averaged 5.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.93 blocks. The club's second-leading rebounder, Lang had his best game on November 20 against the Miami Heat, when he pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds and added a season-high 18 points in a triple-overtime victory. Lang scored in double figures 13 times and reached double figures in rebounds 12 times.
1991-92 NOTES
Lang had his best professional season in 1991-92, starting 71 times in 81 appearances and averaging 7.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons made him the team's starting center early in the season, and Lang responded with career highs in nearly every category. He had always been an excellent shotblocker, and with the increased playing time Lang finally ascended to the NBA leaderboard, ranking 10th in the league with 2.48 blocks per game. The fourth-year pro tied a career high with 8 blocked shots against the Denver Nuggets on December 18. He pulled down 19 rebounds against the Orlando Magic on December 16 and had 21 points versus the Golden State Warriors on April 2.
1990-91 NOTES
Lang spent the first seven games of the 1990-91 season on the injured list while recovering from a stress fracture of the left fibula, an injury he had suffered during the summer. He also missed six games in December after suffering severe contusions of the left hand, wrist, and forearm in a game against the Chicago Bulls. When healthy, Lang appeared in 63 games, starting 18, and averaged 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds. He shot a career-high .577 from the field and still managed 127 blocked shots for the season, an average of 2.02 per game.
Phoenix continued to roll during the regular season (55-27) but made an early exit from the playoffs, losing a first-round series to the Utah Jazz. Lang appeared in all four postseason games, averaging 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds.
1989-90 NOTES
Lang came off the bench for the Suns in 74 games, backing up Mark West at center. Lang and West formed a formidable defensive tandem, blocking 317 shots between them. West led Phoenix with 184 blocks in 29.3 minutes per game, but Lang also demonstrated remarkable shotblocking proficiency. He averaged only 13.7 minutes but recorded an astounding 133 blocks for the season, including 87 in his last 41 games. Lang added 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, shooting .557 from the floor. He had season highs of 16 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 13 and 15 rebounds against the Miami Heat on March 16. He also blocked 8 shots in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on December 26.
The Suns advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season, this time suffering elimination at the hands of the Trail Blazers. Lang played in 12 of 16 playoff games, totaling 16 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 blocks in 93 minutes.
1988-89 NOTES
During a solid four-year career at Arkansas, Andrew Lang established school records for blocked shots in a season and a career. Oliver Miller has since broken both marks, but Lang remains among the school's all-time top 10 in career rebounds and blocked shots. He was an All-Southwest Conference selection as a senior in 1988 after averaging 9.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.
The Phoenix Suns selected Lang with the 28th overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft, and he contributed immediately. Although he averaged only 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game, Lang started in 25 of his 62 appearances and shot .513 from the floor. He had season highs of 21 points and 9 rebounds in the final game of the year, against the San Antonio Spurs on April 22.
The Suns made the league's most impressive turnaround in 1988-89. Winning 18 of their last 22 games, they surged to a 55-27 finish, improving by 27 games over their 28-54 record in 1987-88. Phoenix romped through the first two rounds of the playoffs, losing only one game en route to the Western Conference Finals. But the Suns met their match in the Los Angeles Lakers, who won the series in four straight games. Lang went scoreless in four postseason appearances.
