Sports Celebrity: Ray Allen Basketball Player

Walter Ray Allen (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. He has played professionally for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and the Boston Celtics; and collegiately for the University of Connecticut Huskies. One of the most accurate 3-point and free throw shooters in NBA history, he is a ten-time NBA All-Star and won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the 2000 United States Men's Basketball Team.

Allen has acted in two films, including a co-starring role in the 1998 Spike Lee film He Got Game. On February 10, 2011, Allen became the NBA's all-time leader in regular season three-point field goals made, surpassing Reggie Miller's mark of 2,560. On March 11, 2011, Allen surpassed Miller's career total of 6,486 three-point field goal attempts.

The third of five children, Ray Allen was born at Castle Air Force Base near Merced, California, the son of Flora and Walter Allen. A military child, he spent time growing up in Saxmundham in England, Altus in Oklahoma, Edwards Air Force Base in California, and Germany. He attended high school in Dalzell, South Carolina, where he led Hillcrest High School to a basketball state championship.

Allen has a borderline case of obsessive–compulsive disorder, to which he attributes his consummate shooting style. He is a member of the Air Jordan brand, which is a subsidiary of Nike. Allen served as NBA Spokesperson for the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program. and was selected as NBA Spokesman for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He also started the "Ray of Hope" Foundation to assist charities in several communities.

Allen attended the University of Connecticut from 1993 to 1996, where he earned All-American status and was named USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year in 1995. In 1995–96, his final college season, Allen was a first-team All-American and won the Big East Player of the Year award. Allen finished his UConn career third on the Huskies' career scoring list with 1,922 points and set a single-season school record by connecting on 115 three-pointers in 1995–96.

In 2001, he was named honorary captain of the 25-member UConn All-Century Basketball Team. On February 5, 2007, his name and number were honored at Connecticut's Gampel Pavilion during the "Huskies of Honor" ceremony at halftime of the men's basketball game against the Syracuse Orange.

On June 28, 2007, the Sonics traded Allen and Glen Davis, the 35th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, to the Celtics in exchange for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and the fifth overall pick, Jeff Green. Shortly after acquiring Allen, the Celtics acquired Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett to play alongside Allen and Paul Pierce.

On December 10, 2009, Allen scored 18 points to reach the 20,000 point total for his career. On June 6, 2010, in Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals in a 103–94 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, Allen set the record for most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals game on 8–11 shooting. He broke Michael Jordan's record of six three-pointers in one half by hitting seven in the first half and had tied Scottie Pippen and Kenny Smith's record for most three-pointers in one game in the NBA Finals by half time.

Allen also became the first player in NBA history to have two separate games of scoring at least seven three-pointers in the NBA Finals. In the following game, on June 8, 2010, Allen was one miss shy of tying the NBA Finals record of most consecutive missed shots, going 0–13 from the field, including 0–8 from the 3-point line. He did, however, manage to score 2 points from the free throw line. After becoming a free agent on July 1, 2010, Allen re-signed two year-deal with the Boston Celtics on July 7 worth $20 million.

During a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 11, 2011, Allen became the all-time NBA leader in total 3-point field goals made (2,562), surpassing Reggie Miller's record of 2,560. The 35 year-old shooting guard finished the game with 20 points but the Celtics eventually lost 92-86. In the 2010-11 season Allen was named to his tenth All-Star game alongside teammates Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Also during All-Star Weekend Allen competed in the 3-Point Shootout, but lost to James Jones of the Miami Heat.

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Sports Celebrity

Ray Allen Basketball Player

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