Allen ready to commence

Fourteen years after he left Penn to pursue an NBA career, interim coach Jerome Allen fulfilled his last credits this fall to earn his degree from Wharton.

Jerome Allen came back to school — but not to prove to dad that he’s not a fool.

As an assistant, Allen enrolled at Penn for the fall semester to fulfill the final credits he needed to graduate. He plans to walk in the commencement ceremony in May and will be listed as a graduate of the class of 2009.

Setting a good example for his two daughters and two sons, as well as ensuring financial security for his entire family, were Allen’s main motives for returning to his studies.

“Education is obviously something that we put a high premium on in our house,” the interim coach said. “I just knew that my window of opportunity playing basketball was closing as the days passed.”

Allen spent a good part of his senior year focusing on professional basketball and left school just one credit shy of graduating.

He was selected 49th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1995 NBA draft. Allen played only one season for the Wolves, before bouncing to the Denver Nuggets and the Indiana Pacers.

In 1997, he headed to Europe to continue his professional career. While there, Allen made stops in France, Italy, Greece, Spain and Turkey.

Now looking back at a playing career filled with uncertainty, Allen believes that a degree from Wharton will ensure occupational stability.

“I couldn’t play the game forever,” Allen said. “[My return] was … concentrated on trying to provide my family with the best financial situation possible, because once the ‘air comes out of the ball,’ there’s no going back.”

While Allen’s days as a professional basketball player may be behind him, the coach does have the prerequisite skills if he decides to apply to graduate school, which he and his wife consider a possibility.

Wharton sophomore and class of 2012 president Jibran Khan was a student in the Operations and Information Management 101 class that Allen took to complete his final requirement.

“He was really personable,” Khan said. “He is a guy that has achieved a lot, but still respects the value of education.”

That respect for learning could pay immediate dividends for the basketball team, as several lessons covered in the class could prove valuable on the hardwood.

“[OPIM] was very interesting, to say the least,” Allen said. “It helps you calculate the shortest distance between a path when it’s not necessarily a straight line.”

Allen’s Wharton experience has not only helped him to see the game in a different way, but also to relate better to his players — many of whom are Wharton students themselves.

“I tried to engage some of the guys on the team,” Allen said. “They were asking about my midterms and my problem sets.”

Though he may not be forming study groups any time soon, his close relationship with his players is evident. Point guard and Wharton sophomore Zack Rosen joked that Allen took a “watered-down” version of the class.

Regardless, Allen will still be walking with the senior class come spring.

That’s an accomplishment even Billy Madison’s dad would be proud of.

Comments (21)

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I can respect the fact that education and teaching these young men how to take on the real world is what it is all about.

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Allen ready to commence? Since when

Setting a good example for his two daughters and two sons, as well as ensuring financial security for his entire family, were Allen’s main motives for returning to his studies. n November 2002, nearly 3,700 vehicles were lost when the Hual Europe caught fire after being grounded during a typhoon near a Japanese island

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"Ensuring financial security for his entire family, were Allen’s main motives "... I subscribe to this statement as this and the health of my family are my priorities. gave me a hard time but I managed to keep my life together and enjoy everything.

Wish many more Allens come out. Your efforts are laudable. Thanks for being you. It inspires many more people to come forward rather than stay in the dark

One credit shy of graduating? Wow, that's tough. Nice to see he finished up. Way to go Allen! Kudos from .

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Wharton sophomore and class of 2012 president Jibran Khan was a student in the Operations and Information Management 101 class that Allen took to complete his final requirement.

“He was really personable,” Khan said. “He is a guy that has achieved a lot, but still respects the value of education.”

That respect for learning could pay immediate dividends for the basketball team, as several lessons covered in the class could prove valuable on the hardwood.

“[OPIM] was very interesting, to say the least ,” Allen said. “It helps you calculate the shortest distance between a path when it’s not necessarily a straight line.”

Elegantly written. It is sad to realize how little control any of has over anything when it comes right down to it... rated.

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Very inspiring story. Wharton is the tops for business. Best of luck to Allen. |

He was one of my favorite college players, too bad his pro career wasn't as brilliant, but he is setting a great example. #

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A very interesting blog post, i just with allen would commence all ready

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Allen ready to commence

Interim basketball coach will walk with senior class in May after finishing Wharton degree in fall

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