#34 Ray Allen | The Boneyard

#34 Ray Allen

First class.
I don't remember Ray being a highly sought recruit, but I vividly remember he was special during the minutes he had on the court as a freshman....it was all historic from there.
 
We have been really lucky with so many players we have had over the years. I can’t believe ray didn’t thank Ruslan Inyatkin in his speech .
 
Freedom of expression, and not at all inaccurate to highlight KO's work ethic at a crucial time in his life journey.
...all of which is missing from the ESPN video clip.
 
I played golf with Ray Allen and his uncle at Buena Vista in west Hartford. He was at UConn and I was a senior in high school. He was a mediocre golfer at that time. I recall, on the 4th hole, he was manning the pin as I was putting. He forgot to pull the pin out all the way, and my putt hit the pin and bobbled out. He gave me the shot anyway. Still a class act!

A bunch of the players that day had heard that he was playing golf there and waited for him at the ninth green (course only has 9 holes). There was a small gallery on the ninth hole when we were coming up. Felt like a celebrity that day. My life definitely peaked that afternoon - it’s been on a steady decline ever since.
 
A bunch of the players that day had heard that he was playing golf there and waited for him at the ninth green (course only has 9 holes). There was a small gallery on the ninth hole when we were coming up. Felt like a celebrity that day. My life definitely peaked that afternoon - it’s been on a steady decline ever since.

Stay strong brother.

I used to schlep Ray's bag from car to cart in high school. Quite, but nice guy.
 
Here’s an interesting game looking back, 1995 Uconn(Ray Allen, Kevin Oillie) vs Seton Hall(Dan Hurley, George Blaney, Adrian Griffin).
 
I played golf with Ray Allen and his uncle at Buena Vista in west Hartford. He was at UConn and I was a senior in high school. He was a mediocre golfer at that time. I recall, on the 4th hole, he was manning the pin as I was putting. He forgot to pull the pin out all the way, and my putt hit the pin and bobbled out. He gave me the shot anyway. Still a class act!

A bunch of the players that day had heard that he was playing golf there and waited for him at the ninth green (course only has 9 holes). There was a small gallery on the ninth hole when we were coming up. Felt like a celebrity that day. My life definitely peaked that afternoon - it’s been on a steady decline ever since.
That’s a great story. 9 would be a good hole for a gallery but maybe a dangerous one to be in with a bunch of amateurs on the approach lol.
 
As I recall, Howie D. spearheaded the
recruiting effort to land #34 Ray Allen.
At the time he lauded Ray's personality and polish as a gentleman as much as his shooting potential. HD knew he would be very special even as a high schooler.
 
As I recall, Howie D. spearheaded the
recruiting effort to land #34 Ray Allen.
At the time he lauded Ray's personality and polish as a gentleman as much as his shooting potential. HD knew he would be very special even as a high schooler.

I read an article on it one time. iirc, Howie was scheduled to go recruit somewhere the first day of open recruiting, and then fly in to see Ray the second. I guess the airline cancelled the opening day flight, so Howie went to see Ray first. He got there early and made his pitch. As he's leaving he sees a staff of ACC coaches in the parking lot making their way in for what was supposed to be Ray's first visit.

Ray later said that the fact that UCONN prioritized him enough to show up first, on the 1st day of the recruiting period, was a factor in his choosing UCONN.

Thank the Basketball gods for intervening with the airline on that one.
 
I was watching college BB on TV Sunday out of state. Ray Allen's ceremony was a live cut-in which interrupted the game .......
from ALABAMA!
 
I think you’ll find that KO’s contemporaries support him and think he was screwed by UCONN, and that’s expected. He always gave 100% in college and the pros. Pre divorce KO maybe was a different guy, who knows? I don’t think the entire true story has been exposed yet and who’s at fault for what but time will tell. I disagreed with some of his coaching decisions last couple years but I hate seeing him trashed.
 

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