“Being a 3-point shooter was never my focus” - Ray Allen makes a shocking revelation
Ray Allen
© Anthony Gruppuso - USA TODAY Sports
Undoubtedly, every basketball fan would drop the name Ray Allen when asked who the greatest three-point shooters of all time are. And one doesn’t even have to defend it as Allen had been famous for his impeccably lethal three-point shooting. But for the man himself, it shouldn’t be much of a thing.
No biggie
Before Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry became the king of three-point shooting, Allen held the record for most three-point shots made. Undeniably, it was a prestigious accolade, but contrary to what many would assume, Ray-Ray thought there was nothing special about it.
“I didn’t feel I did anything special when I set it,” Allen told NBA.com. “I didn’t feel like I was shooting 3s on purpose to get a record, nor was this my mission.”
For sure, some would think that Allen was just being either humble or a bit cocky. But his reasoning behind it was something only players who were cut from a different cloth would comprehend.
“For me, being consistent over a long time, that’s what greatness adds up to, and that’s what it was like my whole career, doing the extra things which is what makes you extraordinary. So being a 3-point shooter was never my focus,” the NBA Hall of Famer explained.
Recommended Articles
Allen also pointed out that aside from drilling three-pointers, people don’t realize that he could also “get to the hole and dunk, use his left hand around the basket,” and his “mid-range game” was often slept on.
“All those things are what I was for my whole career,” he pointed out.
Ray-Ray had not been a fan of shooting treys
Over the years, the game has significantly evolved, and almost all players in a 12-man roster can nail treys these days. While many are fond of watching it, Allen is not.
As per the two-time NBA champion, seeing players of all positions shoot 3s is relatively “entertaining,” but the lack of emphasis on the other aspects of the game makes it less appealing.
“I think the game is still extremely entertaining,” Allen said of the evolution of three-point shooting in the NBA. “There is a lack of appeal to it right now watching it because there are so many different dynamics to the game that are being lost.”
Having heard Allen’s bold take on the thing he is best known for, we can’t blame you if you think it is pretty ironic because three-point shooting is what Ray-Ray’s legacy is mostly about. But, on the other hand, it only proves that for some players, greatness isn’t just about being exceptionally good in one aspect of the game.
