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UNCASVILLE, CT – SEPTEMBER 08: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Inductee Ray Allen attends the SiriusXM NBA Radio Hall Of Fame Town Hall with Ray Allen, Jason Kidd and Rod Thorn at Mohegan Sun on September 8, 2018 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by David Surowiecki/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
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UNCASVILLE, CT – SEPTEMBER 08: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Inductee Ray Allen attends the SiriusXM NBA Radio Hall Of Fame Town Hall with Ray Allen, Jason Kidd and Rod Thorn at Mohegan Sun on September 8, 2018 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by David Surowiecki/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
With 10 All-Star appearances and over 24,000 points, Ray Allen is considered one of the best shooting guards to ever play in the NBA. The former Seattle Supersonics star dedicated 18 years of his life to the NBA. Understandably so, he had to abandon his other dreams to make sure he became a star in the league. But the 48-year-old has now achieved a goal 30 years after he set foot at UConn. For most people at this point in their lives, it’s just a dream, but for Jesus Shuttlesworth, it was the right time to get the job done.
Following his retirement from the league in 2014, Allen has made countless appearances on TV as an NBA analyst. But in 2023, he went back and finally achieved one thing that he had longed for years.
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Ray Allen’s thirty-year journey
Ray Allen recently finished the journey that he started in 1993. Back then, Allen played for the University of Connecticut. He played in college for three years before getting drafted 5th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1996. This made him leave his college and the degree that he was pursuing.
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LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 18: Denzel Washington (L) talks to Ray Allen (R) at a game between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on February 18, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
27 years after getting to the NBA, in May 2023, Allen finished his course at UConn and now has a bachelor’s degree in general studies. The pandemic gave Allen the opportunity to start studying, and he has finally achieved his dream.
A special moment for Ray Allen as he earned his degree from UConn 👏
(📸: @UConnMBB) pic.twitter.com/lGkOP4kE3Q
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 7, 2023
Allen talked about the time he was in school. He noticed people in their 30s still studying. This always made him admire the people in college. Allen said, “Wow, they’re still in school. It’s never too late to learn.” With that in mind, when he felt like the time was right, he went ahead and did it.
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From the Big East Player of the Year to the NBA
Allen played for three years at UConn. In his junior year, he averaged 23.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. That was his best year at the collegiate level. Because of this, in 1996, he was given the Big East Player of the Year award and the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player award.
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He declared for the NBA draft, and was later traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Stephon Marbury on draft night. The former Boston Celtics star became one of the league’s most prolific shooters and scorers, and in his 18-year career, he won two championships. He is also the person who has one of the most clutch and iconic shots in NBA history that helped the Miami Heat win a championship.
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What are your thoughts on Allen going back to college to finish his degree? Let us know in the comments below.
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