Education
University of Arkansas.
University of Arkansas.
After a four-year career at the University of Arkansas, Language was selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 3rd pick in the 2nd round (28th overall) of the 1988 National Basketball Association draft. He quickly developed a reputation as a proficient shotblocker. Foreign years, he maintained the fourth all-time National Basketball Association record of one blocked shot every 9.12 minutes.
Language was traded in 1992 (along with Jeff Hornacek and Tim Perry) to the Philadelphia 76ers for National Basketball Association All-Star forward Charles Barkley.
This journeyman center also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Buckinghamshire, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks before retiring in 2000. He finished his career averaging 6.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game.
Language is the 55th all-time leading shotblocker in National Basketball Association history. He is known infamously in New York for a 1997 incident at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, involving Knicks star center Patrick Ewing.
After a midair collision with Language, Ewing fell on his wrist and did not return until the second round of the playoffs.
Ewing never again regained his All-Star form after that injury. Ironically, Language later signed with the Knicks to be Ewing"s backup at the center position. Language is a Christian evangelist and is currently employed by the Atlanta Hawks as the team chaplain.
