Beyond the Court: Marcus Allen's Fight with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and What Basketball Means to Him
3 min read
Marcus Allen has been in the gym his whole life. There’s a lot that comes with it, but it’s basketball. It’s what he loves.
Coming out of high school, Allen was right in Miami’s backyard, playing at Miami Norland just minutes from campus. He knew the Hurricanes well, took visits, and was plenty familiar with the program. But when it came time to make a decision for himself and his family, Allen chose to head out of state and signed with Missouri.
Missouri was his first stop and his first real shot at high-major basketball. Nothing came easy. If he wanted minutes, he had to earn them. That stretch helped him grow before his path eventually brought him back home to Miami.
Coming back wasn’t just about basketball. He needed a reset. A chance to get comfortable again. Allen started to find his rhythm, appearing in eight games and giving Miami solid minutes off the bench. You could see it coming together, and it felt like he was building toward a big year in Coral Gables.
Then everything stopped.
Life hit pause.
On December 19, Hurricanes fans, along with Marcus Allen’s family, were hit with devastating news.
The Allen family released a statement confirming Marcus had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had begun chemotherapy treatment.
“Marcus has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has begun chemotherapy treatment this week,” the statement read. “We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during an extremely difficult time for our family. We thank God for His continued grace, mercy, and favor. We wait in anticipation for the miracle healing to take place. We are standing on faith.”
CBS Sports later spoke with Marcus, who explained that he knew something wasn’t right even before the diagnosis.
“The first time I knew something wasn’t right was the game after we played Florida,” Allen said. “I realized I wasn’t myself all the way. My body didn’t feel 100 percent. But as an athlete, you still want to go out there and compete with your friends and be with your teammates.”
As Marcus battled through it, his mother, Angie Allen, saw it too.
“I knew,” she said. “Just watching him on that court, going up and down, I knew something was not right.”
According to CBS Sports, the situation has brought the Miami team even closer. Head coach Jai Lucas spoke on the mindset Marcus continues to show.
“Life throws punches. Games throw punches,” Lucas said. “You take them and you move on to the next thing, and you’ve got to keep battling. That’s one thing Marcus shows, you’ve just got to continue to fight.”
That fight has been visible every night. The Hurricanes, the entire bench, and even the coaching staff have worn custom-made shoes in Marcus’ honor, marked with #4Strong.
Marcus has also felt the love through the shirts released in support of him, something that’s meant more than just words.
“I’m always very grateful for the shirts,” Allen said. “It allows me to envision that first game when I’m back playing. I can imagine how big that’ll be. It’s a great feeling to think about being out there with my family, my friends, and my teammates. I may not be in those huddles or walking out with my teammates right now, but God willing, I’ll be there again.”
For now, Marcus Allen keeps fighting, with his team, his family, and the entire Miami community behind him.
Coming out of high school, Allen was right in Miami’s backyard, playing at Miami Norland just minutes from campus. He knew the Hurricanes well, took visits, and was plenty familiar with the program. But when it came time to make a decision for himself and his family, Allen chose to head out of state and signed with Missouri.
Missouri was his first stop and his first real shot at high-major basketball. Nothing came easy. If he wanted minutes, he had to earn them. That stretch helped him grow before his path eventually brought him back home to Miami.
Coming back wasn’t just about basketball. He needed a reset. A chance to get comfortable again. Allen started to find his rhythm, appearing in eight games and giving Miami solid minutes off the bench. You could see it coming together, and it felt like he was building toward a big year in Coral Gables.
Then everything stopped.
Life hit pause.
On December 19, Hurricanes fans, along with Marcus Allen’s family, were hit with devastating news.
The Allen family released a statement confirming Marcus had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had begun chemotherapy treatment.
“Marcus has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has begun chemotherapy treatment this week,” the statement read. “We want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during an extremely difficult time for our family. We thank God for His continued grace, mercy, and favor. We wait in anticipation for the miracle healing to take place. We are standing on faith.”
CBS Sports later spoke with Marcus, who explained that he knew something wasn’t right even before the diagnosis.
“The first time I knew something wasn’t right was the game after we played Florida,” Allen said. “I realized I wasn’t myself all the way. My body didn’t feel 100 percent. But as an athlete, you still want to go out there and compete with your friends and be with your teammates.”
As Marcus battled through it, his mother, Angie Allen, saw it too.
“I knew,” she said. “Just watching him on that court, going up and down, I knew something was not right.”
According to CBS Sports, the situation has brought the Miami team even closer. Head coach Jai Lucas spoke on the mindset Marcus continues to show.
“Life throws punches. Games throw punches,” Lucas said. “You take them and you move on to the next thing, and you’ve got to keep battling. That’s one thing Marcus shows, you’ve just got to continue to fight.”
That fight has been visible every night. The Hurricanes, the entire bench, and even the coaching staff have worn custom-made shoes in Marcus’ honor, marked with #4Strong.
Marcus has also felt the love through the shirts released in support of him, something that’s meant more than just words.
“I’m always very grateful for the shirts,” Allen said. “It allows me to envision that first game when I’m back playing. I can imagine how big that’ll be. It’s a great feeling to think about being out there with my family, my friends, and my teammates. I may not be in those huddles or walking out with my teammates right now, but God willing, I’ll be there again.”
For now, Marcus Allen keeps fighting, with his team, his family, and the entire Miami community behind him.
