Ray Allen was once considered to be one of the best shooting guards in the National Basketball League, having held shooting records for decades before anyone could take his place.
Best known for his time with the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, Allen played with a level of dedication that is rarely seen even in the professional leagues.
As a Celtic, Allen worked with Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, and Paul Pierce to usher in one of the most exciting eras for the Boston team.
How Many Rings Does Ray Allen Have?
Ray Allen has two championship rings, one of which he won in the 2008 championship with the Boston Celtics and the other he won the 2013 championship with the Miami Heat.
Although Allen was never named Most Valuable Player, there is no denying the massive role he played in the success of both teams.
Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce formed what Boston fans referred to as the team’s Big Three.
They went on to end the 22-season drought that the Celtics had been enduring since the late 1980s.
While his win with the Boston Celtics changed the franchise, Ray Allen’s shining career moment was during the 2013 championship when he knocked down a clutch corner three-pointer against San Antonio Spurs.
This tied the score with 5.2 seconds remaining on the clock and set the Miami Heat up for one of the biggest championship comebacks in Finals history.
The Heat and Spurs have had some memorable moments in past matchups…
Ray Allen’s OT-forcing corner triple in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals is an unforgettable moment!#NBAMexicoCityGame
🏀 Heat/Spurs
⏰ 5:00pm/et on Saturday 12/17
📺 NBA TV pic.twitter.com/RwmEPxs6DE— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2022
When Did Ray Allen Get Inducted Into The Hall Of Fame?
Ray Allen was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 6th of 2018.
As a member of the Class of 2018, Ray Allen’s career was celebrated alongside those of Grant Hill, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd.
While attending his induction ceremony, Allen got to meet up with many fellow legends of the National Basketball Association such as Maurice Cheeks, Mike Breen, and Lefty Driesell.
Allen is still considered to be one of the most “prolific” shooters in basketball history, something he believes he achieved through hard work.
Just like many basketball fans turned into professional stars, Ray Allen grew up wanting to be the next Michael Jordan.
While Allen may not have the same track record as Jordan, he was a 10-time All-Star and a 2000 Gold Medal Olympian.
During his enshrinement speech, Allen was quick to point out how much dedication it took to reach the heights he did.
He also thanked Reggie Miller for the impact that the veteran player had on his life, going as far as to claim that it was instead Miller who was the greatest shooter of all time.
As Ray Allen looked back on what it took to become a Hall of Famer, he couldn’t help but bring up the impact that his parents had on him.
Allen’s father was a metal technician for the United States Air Force, and the family was forced to move all around the country frequently.
Fleur Allen Hopson, Allen’s mother, was an active local baseball player who went by the nickname “Truck” because she could run an opponent over.
Ray’s parents were the ones who taught young Allen the value of hard work and dedication, unknowingly raising one of the most dedicated basketball players of all time.
Why Did Ray Allen Leave The Boston Celtics?
Ray Allen left the Boston Celtics because he felt disrespected by the staff behind the team and became the first of the core players to leave.
When he left the Celtics for their fierce rivals, the Miami Heat, both fans and teammates alike felt betrayed by Allen.
The people who felt the most betrayed by Allen’s actions were fellow core members Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, stating that Allen left the team without even calling his teammates to let them know.
Ray Allen remained quiet on the topic of his leaving for years until opening up about it on ESPN’s First Take.
Allen claims that it was clear before he left that the Celtics weren’t doing what they needed to bring him back into the mix for the following season.
Before becoming a free agent, Allen and his agent wanted to write up a new contract for the following season.
All Allen could get out of Danny Ainge was a far below-market, “take it or leave it” contract that wasn’t worth his time.
His departure had nothing to do with personal feelings toward teammates or even the staff, leading him to consult with his wife.
Following the low-ball offer, Ray Allen began considering teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Despite claiming that his reasoning for leaving the Celtics had nothing to do with personal matters, Allen was willing to recognize that there was frequently negative tension between him and Rajon Rondo.
As the Celtics were handing out contracts to his other teammates, Allen knew his time with the team was nearing an end.
When the Celtics finally did discuss the upcoming season with Allen, they gave him the choice of the Clippers, the Grizzlies, the Timberwolves, or the Miami Heat.
Why Did Ray Allen Leave The Milwaukee Bucks?
Ray Allen was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks because he and head coach George Karl didn’t get along and would frequently get into fights with one another.
Trading Allen from the Bucks would go down as one of the biggest regrets in the Bucks’ entire franchise.
Part of what made Karl and Allen fight so frequently was their tendency to blame each other for the faults of the entire team, often leading to screaming matches.
As they would point their fingers at one another, they’d tear each other down with unnecessary criticisms.
Karl didn’t appreciate Allen’s dedication to perfectionism or his confident nature, going as far as to claim that “his attention to details, at times, was antagonistic to his teammates.”
The Bucks’ head coach felt that Allen’s assertive nature made it difficult to manage the other large egos on the team.
Milwaukee Bucks general manager Ernie Grunfeld begrudgingly set up the trade call and team owner Herb Kohl signed off on the trade, something Kohl would later refer to as the team’s “most unfortunate moment.”
From Kohl’s perspective, he didn’t make any deal and instead simply “let it happen.”
Following Allen’s departure from the Bucks, the team also lost Sam Cassell and Ernie Grunfeld.
The Milwaukee Bucks were never able to get back the same level of star power as they had back when they had Ray Allen, resulting in a rocky patch of the franchise’s history.
While Allen was with the Bucks, he claims that there was no one practicing as frequently as him.
Some players practiced most days, and too many players would only practice some days, but Allen was practicing every single day.
Most modern Bucks fans are hoping that Giannis Antetokounmpo will fill the void that Allen left behind years ago.
Why Did Ray Allen Retire?
Ray Allen retired in 2016 after not playing a full season since the 2013–2014 season because he felt that he could no longer keep up with the type of players who were entering the National Basketball Association.
The decision to leave his professional basketball career behind was difficult for Allen, but he knew that he wouldn’t be able to whip himself back into shape after taking a two-year break.
By the time he accepted that his time in the National Basketball Association was over, Allen was able to find peace with his situation and move on.
His former general manager from the Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge, was quick to praise the shooting guard.
Ainge believed that Allen was a key part of the Celtics’ success thanks to his high level of professionalism, leadership, preparation, and work ethic.
Allen was the type of teammate who worked so hard and held themselves to such high standards that it made all of his other teammates want to put in the same amount of effort.
Ray Allen wasn’t just a scoreboard leader, he was the type of leader who changed the people around him for the better.
One of the teammates to speak about the inspiration they received from Allen was Dwayne Wade.
Allen taught Wade how to perform better on the court, but he also taught Wade the importance of taking care of his body and how eating well could help him last longer in the league.
According to Wade, Ray Allen would practice all of the time, and Allen was living proof that “practice makes perfect.”
While his perfectionism was known to get on some people’s nerves, it helped shape many of his teammates into better and more dedicated athletes.
Is Ray Allen A Golfer?
Yes, National Basketball Association champion Ray Allen is an avid golfer, especially since retiring from the professional basketball league.
Although Allen had tried getting into golf years before, it wasn’t until a trip to Mexico that the connection between this All-Star shooter and the thought-provoking sport began to click.
While standing over a troublesome ball, Allen realized that he could get just as good at golf as he was at basketball if he was willing to put in the hard work and practice.
Similar to shooting hoops, Ray Allen finally understood that he had to practice different shots if he wanted to get a better idea of where his ball would land.
As of 2021, Allen’s career-low round is 63, but he claims that it could have been 61, but he’d been “hitting the ball all over the place” though he was able to make his putts.
He even made an eagle on a par 4.
The champion shooter claims that he wasn’t putting enough thought into his swings that round and was too focused on stepping up and hitting the ball.
While golfing is a source of relaxation for Allen, he loves bringing his celebrity friends to the course with him.
One of his most well-known golfing buddies is former United States President, Barack Obama.
The pair try to meet up for a round of golf whenever they’re in the same town as one another, with group trips to Martha’s Vineyard being reserved for the summer.
While golfing, the two men love to talk about basketball and question why they can’t get more of their friends into the sport.
Ray Allen loves going for a round of golf with the former president, but there have been times when he witnessed how much pressure Barack Obama was under while on the golf course as president.
Despite what the public has said, Allen cherishes the time he spends with Obama.
NEXT: Who Is Still Alive From Gilligan’s Island? (2023 Updated)