Flint basketball community remembers Jody Allen
July 16, 2012 in High School
The names of Flint basketball players who went on to successful college and pro careers are familiar ones. But the talented players who don’t make it out of the city, who don’t fully realize their potential, are often legendary figures in gyms and on playgrounds in the city.
One of those legends was Jody Allen. Allen was a standout point guard at Flint Northwestern in the 1990s during one of the city’s basketball heydays. Allen was shot and killed in Flint over the weekend. Allen’s uncle talked to the Flint Journal about his nephew:
Allen’s great uncle, Fred Williams, 69, called the situation a “tragedy.”
“He loved basketball,” Williams said. “He was crazy about it.”
Williams said his great nephew made some poor decisions that made him live a life on the streets. It stopped him from going on to college to play ball, he said.
“He just didn’t see it as a possible way out,” he said. “So much potential wasted.”
Aside from that, Williams said Allen was a good guy who had “oodles of friends.”
“He wasn’t an angel, but no one deserves to die that way,” he said.
Several Flint athletes remembered Allen on Twitter. Here’s former Northwestern teammate, Michigan State star and NBA player Morris Peterson on Allen:
Just got badnews about a good friend on mine. High School teammate Jodi Allen was killed today. I’m praying for his Fam! Luv u Bro RIP
— Morris Peterson(@mopete24) July 15, 2012
Mateen Cleaves, generally regarded as one of the top point guards Flint ever produced, wrote this:
R.I.P to 1 of the best guards I ever played against Jody Allen. Sad Day for me. I will never forget those NW vs Northern games. Love is Love
— Mateen Cleaves (@Mateen_Cleaves) July 16, 2012
Former Flint Southwestern and Michigan State great and NBA player Charlie Bell on Allen:
RIP Jody Allen one of the best guards I have ever played against in Flint High School
— Charlie Bell (@flintstone14) July 15, 2012
Former Flint Northern assistant coach Marcellus Miller, who played at Flint Central when Allen was in high school, on Allen:
Man, I just heard Jody Allen got killed…wow…graduated in ’96 like me.One of the best PG’s ever in Flint, period.Sad news…
— Marcellus C. Miller (@awizonme84) July 16, 2012
Former Flint Central and Michigan State guard Tim Bograkos on Allen:
Sad Day RT @iamdjmoet: Real Flinttown Legend Moves on home to the maker… Damn Jody Allen we will miss u homie… #NDub #SWA…
— Tim Bograkos (@timbograkos) July 16, 2012
Former Northern and Prairie View guard Greg Burks on Allen:
If this is true damn R.I.P. Jodi Allen smh. One of the nicest to do it around Flint.
— Greg Burks (@underdogpvu3) July 15, 2012
Allen was the son of another Flint basketball great, Craig Tucker. Here’s Tucker’s bio from when he was inducted into the Greater Flint Hall of Fame. Eric Woodyard, then writing for SLAM Magazine, did an interview with Peterson in 2009. Peterson mentioned how great a high school player Allen was in the interview.
[...] Flint community is still mourning the loss of one of its greatest high school players ever, Jody Allen. Some community members are using his [...]
[...] was reported earlier this week, Allen was murdered on his front porch and a charity game was quickly put together in order to both [...]