2,973. That's how many three-pointers Ray Allen amassed in his decorated 18-year career. The Hall of Fame shooting guard currently holds the record for the most triples made all-time, but at this point, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is already breathing down his neck.
Curry is now at 2,940 triples. At his current pace, the Warriors guard should be able to surpass Allen as the greatest long-distance marksman in the history of the league before the calendar turns to 2022.
Once this eventuality happens, will this confirm Curry's claim as the GOAT shooter? Well, for his part, Allen has some thoughts to share about this notion.
Ray Allen is not exactly thrilled about Steph eventually uprooting him from his pedestal. After all, this is a historic record he's been holding on to for many years now. At this point, however, the 46-year-old holds no regret whatsoever:
“I’m happy for him and his family because it’s something that you get to say that you did, something that you accomplished,” Allen said Wednesday, via Monte Poole of NBC Sports. “In your time playing in this league, with all the great players that have come, you get to say that I was one of the best, if not the best, to ever do it.”
Allen is also proud of what Curry has and will achieve in his career. After all, it is clear that the Warriors star has a lot of gas left in the tank. Not only will Curry beat Allen's record, but he's going to leave him in the dust by quite a margin once it's all said and done.
Be that as it may, Allen has nothing but praise for Curry. He's actually known the two-time MVP since he was a kid so Allen is proud of the journey Curry has taken in his own career:
“Steph used to come into Milwaukee when he was younger, him and Seth,” Allen recalled. “And (Bucks coach) George Karl used to let them participate in shootaround. So, they’d come and we’d go through drills and they’d be right there with us. And they’d hold their own.”
Naturally, there have been comparisons between Curry and Allen. As a matter of fact, the Warriors star has been compared to pretty much every great shooter before him. In Allen's mind, however, he believes that the comparisons are somewhat unwarranted:
“People have compared him to myself and to Reggie and to other past shooters, great shooters, in the NBA,” Allen said. “But he really–and I’ve said this before–he really operates somewhat in a lane of his own.”
Allen then continued to shower Curry with praise as he attempted to deflect all the attention he's been getting right now with the former Davidson standout closing in on his record:
“This is not about what I decide or how I feel,” Allen said. “I’m just proud and happy that he has done the job of playing in this league and creating young people and a great fan base where he is continually pushing the narrative of what great basketball looks like and set the bar. A different bar.”
Ray Allen clearly has nothing but love for Stephen Curry and his family. His admiration for the former back-to-back MVP, who incidentally, might just bag his third trophy at the end of this season, goes far beyond the basketball court, though. Ray Allen is also extremely proud of the person Curry turned out to be:
“I love Steph because he’s a great dude,” he said. “He’s a good person. He’s a great family man. I always say that when you watch any sport, you celebrate and cheer for those that you know are good people and you want to see succeed and win.
“It’s hard not to root for Steph. It’s hard not to understand where he comes from and who he is. To be able to see him and celebrate him, it’s not a stretch at all. I’m just happy for him and his family. I’ve known them for forever.”
Stephen Curry has already broken so many records throughout his career and he's not even done yet. Nonetheless, this one definitely holds a special place in his heart considering how it's the three-point shot that put him on the map, so to speak.
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