Ray Allen recently appeared as a guest on James Posey's podcast “The Posecast,” during which the legendary sharpshooter talked about what it was like facing Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan for the first time in the NBA.
Allen, who began his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1996-97, said he was scared to death facing Jordan.
“My second game of my rookie year preseason, we played against the Bulls in the United Center,” Allen shared.
“So imagine that. As a 21-year-old kid, you're playing against MJ. You know, I was scared to death…and I'm on the floor stretching and he runs on to the floor. I had to look up. It was like this is so surreal to me that I'm sitting here on this court right now and I've watched this, you know, for the last 10 years of my life.
“So I'm like I'm rooting for him against me.”
Michael Jordan and the Bulls won the 1997 title over the Utah Jazz for MJ's fifth title. His Airness averaged 29.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for Chicago during the regular season while shooting 48.6 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from beyond the arc and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Jordan is universally recognized as the greatest player in NBA history. He won six titles with the Bulls, going undefeated in the Finals and winning all six Finals MVPs.
Ray Allen, meanwhile, finished his rookie season with the Bucks with averages of 13.4 points, 4.0 boards and 2.6 assists. The California native wound up making 10 All-Star teams, winning two titles and establishing himself as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.
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