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The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary this season and as part of the commemoration, they unveiled the top 75 players in NBA history — but it actually became 76, because of a tie in the voting. Technicality or not, Ray Allen made the list, the only Husky alum to garner such an honor.
Over his 18 year career, Allen scored over 24,000 points and was a 10-time All-Star, winning titles with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2018.
No disrespect to the supernova that is Steph Curry, but a reminder that Allen —a two-time NBA champion — still holds the regular season and postseason records for 3-point field goals made.
The list wasn’t ranked — probably to avoid internet meltdowns — but you can make an argument that one of the greatest shooters of all time probably would fall in the upper tier. Not bad for a guy who came to UConn as a raw athlete.
This quote from Jim Calhoun in 1994 is now hilarious.
“He came to us as an athlete and slasher,” Calhoun said. “Now he’s a slasher with a shot. And pretty soon he’s going to be a slasher with all the other complements that go with the game.”
To celebrate, let’s dig up this gem from Ray about UConn, Calhoun, Rick Pitino, and Kentucky.