All Things Basketball with GD - Player Spotlight for Week 8, Ray Allen

Player spotlight (00:31)

Ray Allen: 6'5", 205 LB, SG

Born Walter Ray Allen Jr in Merced, CA (7/20/75)

Born on the Castle Air Force Base, parents Flora & Walter Allen Sr

A child of a military family that lived in England, Germany, Oklahoma & South Carolina (his years of high school)

In Daizell, SC (Sumter County) he attend Hillcrest HS

Had an English accent; was picked on because of that

Stood out thanks to his athletic ability & work ethic

Growth spurt led him to concentrate fully on basketball

Led Hillcrest HS in his senior year to state title, dropped 25 pts & 12 reb in that game

Decided to go to UConn over University of Kentucky

Spent 3 years under coach Jim Calhoun

Finished his career as UConn's 3rd all time leading scorer

All-American & Big East Player of the Week in his last season, won the BE Tourney over Allen Iverson's Georgetown Hoyas

He & standout Rebecca Lobo became 1st players to have jerseys retired at UConn

Drafted in 1996 as the 5th overall pick by MIN; traded away along with Andrew Lang to MIL for 4th overall pick Stephon Marbury

In rookie season, started in all but one game; appeared in Dunk Contest that season

Made 1st All Star appearance his 4th season (1999-2000) while finishing as MIL's leading scorer

Chosen to compete in 1st 3 Point Shootout & won, beating Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Allan Houston & Peja Stojakovic

Later that year he, Sam Cassell & Glenn Robinson went to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to PHI in 7 games

In 2002-03 halfway thru the season he was included in a package deal to SEA for Gary Payton & Desmond Mason

In 2003-04 he played only 55 games due to injuries but bounces back the season after

2 years later, averaged a career high of 26.4 PPG (includes a career high 54 pts vs UTA); again played only 55 games that season (ankle surgeries)

That offseason, was dealt along with Glen Davis to BOS for a package of players & picks

In BOS, captured his 1st NBA title (2007-08) with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce & Rajon Rondo; 4 games to 2 over LAL

In 2008-09 his BOS team lost in the EC semis to ORL 4-3

In 2009-10 BOS made it back to the NBA Finals but lost to LAL, 4-3

For the next 2 seasons BOS Big 3 of him, Garnett & Pierce could not overtake MIA's Big 3 of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade & Chris Bosh as they knocked them out of the playoffs in consecutive years

After 2011-12 season he became a free agent & after feeling somewhat underappreciated & disrespected by the BOS front office he signs with MIA

In 2012-13, was a key bench player in MIA's run to an NBA title

In Game 6 in those Finals vs SAS he hit what many say is the biggest shot of his career (3PG that sent game to OT & ended up winning)

After 2013-14 season he became a free agent again & ended up sitting out the season

Upon some consideration of joining either BOS or MIL he ultimately decided to call it a career & officially retired in 2016

Finished career as #1 in 3PGs made (regular season & playoffs)

Inducted into the Hall of Fame (2018) & this year named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team

CAREER

MIL: 7 seasons, 3 All Star appearances

SEA: 5 seasons, 4 AS appearances

BOS: 5 seasons, 3 AS appearances, 1 NBA championship

MIA: 2 seasons, 1 NBA championship

2 time All-NBA, led NBA in 3PGs made 3 times, only player to drop 7 3PGs in a Finals game twice, most 3PGs in a Finals series (22), holds BOS record for consecutive FTs made (72, beat Larry Bird's 71), won a gold medal for USA Basketball in 2000, won the Joe Dumars Sportsmanship Award in 2003

His acting credits: playing Jesus Shuttlesworth opposite Denzel Washington in Spike Lee directed He Got Game. Also Harvard Man & commercial Uncle Drew: Chapter 4