Walter Ray Allen, Jr. (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He formerly played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and Boston Celtics of the NBA. In college, he was a member of the University of Connecticut Huskies. One of the most accurate 3-point and free throw shooters in NBA history, he is a ten-time NBA All-Star, and has won two NBA championships, as well as a Olympic gold medal as a member of the 2000 United States men's basketball team. Allen has acted in two films, including a lead role in the 1998 Spike Lee film He Got Game. Allen is the NBA's all-time leader both in three-point field goals made and attempted in the regular season as well as the NBA's all-time leader in three-point field goals made in the postseason
High school
The third of five children, Ray Allen was born at Castle Air Force Base near Merced, California, the son of Flora and Walter Allen, Sr. A military child, he spent time growing up in Saxmundham in England, Altus in Oklahoma, Edwards Air Force Base in California, and Germany. He attended high school in Dalzell, South Carolina, where he led Hillcrest High School to a basketball state championship
College career
Allen attended the University of Connecticut from 1993-1996 after being recruited by assistant coach Karl Hobbs.[ While at UCONN he earned All-American status and was named USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year in 1995. In 1995–96, his final college season, Allen was a first-team All-American and won the Big East Player of the Year award. Allen finished his UConn career third on the Huskies' career scoring list with 1,922 points and set a single-season school record by connecting on 115 three-pointers in 1995–96.
In 2001, he was named honorary captain of the 25-member UConn All-Century Basketball Team. On February 5, 2007, his name and number were honored at Connecticut's Gampel Pavilion during the "Huskies of Honor" ceremony at halftime of the men's basketball game against the Syracuse Orange.
NBA career
Milwaukee Bucks (1996–2003)
Allen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. Immediately after his selection, Allen and Andrew Lang were traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for the rights to fourth pick Stephon Marbury. Allen was a member of the NBA's All-Rookie 2nd Team in 1996. His most successful season with the Bucks occurred during the 2000–01 season: he won the 3-point shootout during All-Star Weekend; was selected to the All-NBA Third Team; and led the Bucks, as part of Milwaukee's "Big Three", alongside Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson, to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost in seven games to the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers
Miami Heat (2012–present)
Allen rejected a two-year, $12 million offer to return to the Boston Celtics and accepted a three-year deal with the Miami Heat, who were limited to their mid-level exception amount of slightly more than $3 million per season.[During Allen's first season with the Miami Heat, he averaged 10.9 points per game and made 88.6% of his free throws while playing an average of 25.8 minutes per game. On April 25, 2013, while playing Milwaukee in Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs, Allen made his 322nd career three-pointer in the playoffs, which broke Miller's record for most three-pointers made in NBA playoff history.
In Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 18, Allen made a game-tying three-point shot with 5.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Having rallied from a 10-point deficit at the end of the third quarter, the Heat won in overtime 103-100 over the San Antonio Spurs and forced a seventh game in the series. With the Heat leading 101-100, Allen stole the ball from Manu Ginobili under the Spurs' basket and drew a foul with 1.9 seconds remaining in the overtime period. Allen made both ensuing free throws to put Miami up 103-100. Allen played 41 minutes in Game 6 off the bench and scored 9 points on 3-for-8 field goal shooting; his game-tying three-pointer was the only three-pointer he made in three attempts. Allen also had one defensive rebound and two assists. In Game 7, which the Heat won 95-88 to win its second consecutive championship, Allen played 20 minutes off the bench. Although he made none of 4 field goal attempts and had 3 turnovers, Allen recorded 4 defensive rebounds and 4 assists.
On June 29, 2013, Allen picked up his $3.23 million player option to stay with the Heat through the 2013-14 NBA season