Ray Allen

American basketball shooting guard considered one of the greatest three-point shooters in NBA history with clutch performances in championship games.

Rayford Walter Allen was born in Merced, California in 1975. He attended the University of Connecticut and across three seasons averaged 19.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He was the Big East Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. His shooting mechanics — studied by coaches as the gold standard for jump shooting technique — were refined across his Connecticut career. His release point, consistent arc and textbook footwork were already exhibiting the qualities that would make him the NBA's most prolific three-point shooter. He led Connecticut to three NCAA Tournament appearances. Milwaukee Bucks selected him fifth overall in the 1996 NBA Draft. His UConn career established the foundation of what became a two-decade professional career producing 2,973 career three-pointers — the NBA record when he retired. Connecticut basketball has a rich tradition of producing NBA guards and Allen is among the finest. His three seasons in Storrs — developing the shooting technique that would become his professional signature — represent the college foundation of one of basketball's greatest specialised skill sets.

Allen was renowned for his pure shooting stroke and exceptional range from three-point distance. He possessed textbook shooting form with consistent mechanics and quick release that made him deadly from anywhere on the court. His shooting ability was complemented by excellent conditioning and constant movement off the ball to create open looks.

Allen revolutionized the importance of three-point shooting in modern basketball and set the standard for long-range accuracy that influenced countless future shooters.

• Big East Player of Year
• All-American
• Tournament scoring performances
• UConn program cornerstone