The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Phoenix Suns tab former Longhorn Lance Blanks as general manager
08.06.2010 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 6, 2010
PHOENIX -- Lance Blanks, a two-year starter at shooting guard (1989-90) who helped lead the Longhorns to the 1990 NCAA "Elite Eight," was named the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, the team announced Thursday. The 43-year-old Blanks joined the Suns after spending the last five years as vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During his five seasons with the Cavs, the team registered an overall record of 272-138 (.663). Prior to joining the Cavaliers in 2005, Blanks spent the previous five years with the San Antonio Spurs. He joined the Spurs in 2000 as a scout, before being promoted to the role of director of scouting in September 2002. During his time in San Antonio, the Spurs won two NBA Championships.
Blanks transferred to Texas after playing two years at Virginia and became part of the famed "BMW" Longhorn backcourt that included Blanks, Travis Mays and Joey Wright. In his two seasons at Texas, he helped the Longhorns post a 49-18 mark. Blanks left Texas as the eighth-leading scorer in school history with 1,322 points, the highest total by a two-year player in school history. He concluded his career as the all-time leader in steals (198), and his career scoring average (20.0 ppg) still ranks fourth in school history.
During his junior season, Blanks ranked second on the team in scoring (19.7 ppg) while leading Texas to a 25-9 record and the NCAA Tournament Second Round. He was tabbed the Southwest Conference's Newcomer of the Year and set school single-season marks for minutes played (1,295) and steals (111). Both of those records still stand today.
As a senior, Blanks ranked second on the squad in scoring (20.3 ppg) while pacing Texas to a 24-9 mark and a trip to the "Elite Eight." This marked the school's first appearance in the "Elite Eight" since 1947, when the Horns advanced to the Final Four of what was then an eight-team tournament. Blanks earned a spot on the five-man NCAA All-Midwest Regional team and the USBWA All-District 7 squad.
After earning his bachelor's degree in radio/television/film, Blanks was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft. He played two seasons with the Pistons (1991-92) and one year with the Minnesota Timberwolves (1993).
