A Philly boy’s dream—to go from watching the Sixers on TV to working with them almost every day.
That’s dream came true for Philly native Allen Lumpkin who turned his love of basketball into a career with the team, one that has lasted for 47 years.
“It’s a true love, I’ve always loved basketball growing up. I followed the Sixers when I was a kid, my favorite team of course,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin is currently the Executive Director of Team Logistics for the 76ers. But his career with the team started back in 1977 when he was just 16 years old.
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“There was a contest in the Philadelphia Daily News, 25 words or less on why you wanted to become a Sixers locker room attendant. Back then it was called a ballboy,” Lumpkin said.
He was one of only two winners, and it was a dream come true for the West Oak Lane local.
And it was a position that would run in the family.
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“All three of my kids were ball kids at one time or another,” Lumpkin said.
What started as just a season with the team, turned into a decades long career of hard work and dedication.
“I just believed in hard work, that’s what I’ve learned from my parents. Hard work, keep your mouth shut, do the job,” Lumpkin said.
It’s a career that has allowed him to travel all over the country and mingle with some of the biggest names in basketball, like Michael Jordan and Alan Iverson.
Lumpkin will be celebrating his 40th anniversary with the team on Tuesday, Nov. 12. He is using this celebration as a reminder for children that dreams can come true.
“Hard work. You’re entitled to nothing …be humble, help others, be willing to do the smallest task or the largest task. If someone asks you to do something, never say no,” he said.
