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

Player spotlight (00:31)Ray Allen: 6'5", 205 LB, SGBorn Walter Ray Allen Jr in Merced, CA (7/20/75)Born on the Castle Air Force Base, parents Flora & Walter Allen SrA 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 HSHad an English accent; was picked on because of thatStood out thanks to his athletic ability & work ethicGrowth spurt led him to concentrate fully on basketballLed Hillcrest HS in his senior year to state title, dropped 25 pts & 12 reb in that gameDecided to go to UConn over University of KentuckySpent 3 years under coach Jim CalhounFinished his career as UConn's 3rd all time leading scorerAll-American & Big East Player of the Week in his last season, won the BE Tourney over Allen Iverson's Georgetown HoyasHe & standout Rebecca Lobo became 1st players to have jerseys retired at UConnDrafted in 1996 as the 5th overall pick by MIN; traded away along with Andrew Lang to MIL for 4th overall pick Stephon MarburyIn rookie season, started in all but one game; appeared in Dunk Contest that seasonMade 1st All Star appearance his 4th season (1999-2000) while finishing as MIL's leading scorerChosen to compete in 1st 3 Point Shootout & won, beating Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Allan Houston & Peja StojakovicLater that year he, Sam Cassell & Glenn Robinson went to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to PHI in 7 gamesIn 2002-03 halfway thru the season he was included in a package deal to SEA for Gary Payton & Desmond MasonIn 2003-04 he played only 55 games due to injuries but bounces back the season after2 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 & picksIn BOS, captured his 1st NBA title (2007-08) with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce & Rajon Rondo; 4 games to 2 over LALIn 2008-09 his BOS team lost in the EC semis to ORL 4-3In 2009-10 BOS made it back to the NBA Finals but lost to LAL, 4-3For 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 yearsAfter 2011-12 season he became a free agent & after feeling somewhat underappreciated & disrespected by the BOS front office he signs with MIAIn 2012-13, was a key bench player in MIA's run to an NBA titleIn 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 seasonUpon some consideration of joining either BOS or MIL he ultimately decided to call it a career & officially retired in 2016Finished 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 TeamCAREERMIL: 7 seasons, 3 All Star appearancesSEA: 5 seasons, 4 AS appearancesBOS: 5 seasons, 3 AS appearances, 1 NBA championshipMIA: 2 seasons, 1 NBA championship2 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 2003His acting credits: playing Jesus Shuttlesworth opposite Denzel Washington in Spike Lee directed He Got Game. Also Harvard Man & commercial Uncle Drew: Chapter 4