The NBA's all-time 3-point king, Ray Allen, will be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, fittingly presented by the man who held the title of 3-point king before he did — Reggie Miller.
The picture-perfect sharpshooter explained why he chose Miller to introduce him for this year's class in a one-on-one interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“I’ve always watched him and there’s been a hate-love relationship with Reggie,” Allen explained. “I appreciate what he’s done and his skill, but he was such a competitor that you wanted to root against him because he was playing against Michael Jordan, demolished the Knicks in eight seconds and single-handedly dismantled their defense. He’s had so many great moments in his career that I watched, so I was always competitive with it. As a player coming in, I just said, “Man, this is a guy that I somewhat want to be like.”
Despite rooting against Miller throughout his childhood and adolescence, Allen grew to turn that hate into love for his craft, soon pushing the boundaries of the very weapon Miller used to devastate his opponents, ultimately besting his mark by 413 makes and a career 40 percent from long-range.
Miller has been complimentary of Allen's game throughout his broadcasting career, hailing him as the soon-to-be 3-point record-holder even before he neared the milestone. In true form, Miller was honored to be the one presenting Allen.
“Reggie was really blown away and excited and appreciative,” said Allen. “He said he would love to present me, that it was an honor, and for me it’s an honor to ask him. I’m in esteemed company because so many of these guys and ladies have had prestigious careers. Regardless if someone’s younger or older, we’re in the same class. It’s special. He’s set a bar that I didn’t know existed. When they told me that I was going to break the 3-point record, I didn’t know it was a thing. That isn’t something we can’t achieve if he doesn’t do what he does.”
The two marksmen are truly legends, boasting not only the range but the accuracy that made them the NBA's gold standard when it came to dialing long-distance … at least until Stephen Curry came along.
Follow Us
Subscribe