The man behind the ponytail

“Sweet Lou”, as he has been affectionately referred to by fans, has quickly become a favorite Sun in the valley.  His energy, focus on defense, ability to jump out of the gym, and sheer athleticism have won him a solidified spot in the Suns rotation this season.  Much has been written about Lou this year (along with his ponytail) by not just Suns fanatics, but NBA experts. 

But, just who is Louis Amundson?

Pre-UNLV

Lou was born on December 7th, 1982 in Ventura, CA to Dave Amundson and Eloise Berg and also has one sister named Alena.  He went to high school in Monarch, CO (I went to high school in Castle Rock, CO) and was a huge star in their basketball program.  Lou elected to spend his collegiate career in Las Vegas, NV at UNLV.

College

As a freshman in 2001-2002 at UNLV, Lou appeared in 30 games averaging only 10 minutes a game but notching 3 points and 2 rebounds per contest.  This will surprise people - he hit the game winning free throw against San Diego State on 1/26/02!  After a solid finish to his freshman season, he sat out all of 2002-2003 due to a thumb infection.  His 03-04 campaign was similar to his freshman year, though he started the first 8 games, and averaged about 5 points and 4 rebounds a game.

2004-2005 was his breakout collegiate year.  Amundson garnered an honorable mention in the All-Mountain West Conference averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds and almost 2 blocks a game.  Lou ranked 6th in rebounding, 5th in blocks, and 4th in FG%.  Riding his superb junior season into his final year at UNLV, Lou averaged 14 points, 9 rebounds 1 assist, 1 steal, and almost 2 blocks his senior year.  This led to Lou gaining All-Mountain West second team honors and All-District team accolades. 

In his years at UNLV, Lou ranks 7th in school history in blocks and 11th in rebounding.  He is the only player in conference history to have 2 or more games with 20+ points and 20+ rebounds.  Perhaps more notable - Lou graduated with a degree in English and Philosophy and is currently working on a 2nd degree in Finance.

Early NBA Career

Despite a fantastic finish to his UNLV career, Lou went undrafted in the NBA.  He was picked up by the Sacramento Kings in 2006 but didn’t get any action.  He did, however, play in a WheelchairCharities basketball tournament with teammate Ron Artest.

After spending time in the Toshiba Vegas Summer League and turning some heads, he was picked up by the Jazz but only played one game for Utah before his 10-day contract was up.  He signed another 10-day deal with the Philadelphia 76ers afterwards, but it was his time in the D-League that led him to be picked up by the 76ers for the remainder of the 2007 season.  In his time in the D-League (25 games), Lou was selected as D-League Rookie of the Year and to the All NBA D-League First Team.  Playing for the Colorado 14ers he averaged 11 points, 8 rebounds, and almost 3 blocks a game leading the 14ers to a 19-6 record with him in the lineup.  Lou had productive minutes in the 2007-2008 season with the 76ers despite appearing in only 16 games.

Finding His Way to the Valley

Despite his limited play in the NBA, he managed to turn some heads.  While Terry Porter was an assistant for the Detroit Pistons, he became impressed with Amundson’s athleticism.  Later, after Porter was hired as head coach for the Suns, he became even more impressed with Lou while scouting in the D-League.  Lou was playing for the Warriors at the time.  Porter said the following about Amundson on Suns.com, “He’s a young man that plays extremely hard and plays with a great deal of physicality. He’s no-holds barred in terms of his aggressiveness, runs the floor well and can defend multiple positions.”

The Suns front office felt the same way and signed Lou to a one-year deal worth about $800,000 and a team option for a 2nd year.

Louis AmundSUN

He’s already appeared in almost twice the amount of games he has prior to joining the Suns and clearly won fans over.  He’s averaging career highs in points (3.3) and FG% (54).  But it’s not the stats that have fans swooning over him - it’s his energy and effort.  Porter has solidified him into the rotation based on production.  It is my belief that Lou single-handily kept us within 30 points to our recent loss to the Pacers notching 14 rebounds (9 offensive) and tallying 9 points in only 25 minutes.

More importantly, he injects enthusiasm and energy into the crowd and gives us a boost; think - a better Bo Outlaw.  Lou never really smiles, never complains, never shows any emotion - just works his ass off for the betterment of the team.

The Suns absolutely need that this year, perhaps more than ever.

 

Miscellaneous Facts

• Often rides his bike to and from the arena
• Often gets his bike stolen from Matt Barnes
• Shoe size is 15
• Likes to watch college football
• Enjoys drawing andpainting, along with yoga, in his free time
• Is a pretty good dunker….see below for highlights…

 

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