Celtics NBA Champ Gives Special Speech To UConn Men’s Basketball Team
The UConn Huskies men’s basketball team received a special guest in their locker room on Saturday in the form of Huskies legend and Boston Celtics NBA champion shooting guard Ray Allen.
Allen popped in to talk to UConn’s player after their victory over Illinois, which brought the No. 5-ranked Huskies to 6-1 on the young season.
Allen emphasized the importance of gratitude in his speech to the Huskies. “These moments aren’t guaranteed,” Allen said. “It’s a privilege for us to be here. It’s a privilege for me an an honor to continue to come here and support you guys.”
Allen’s journey to basketball immortality began at UConn, where he honed his sharpshooting prowess from 1993 to 1996. As a freshman, Allen earned All-Big East honors, but his junior year propelled him to national acclaim. Leading the Huskies to the Elite Eight, Allen averaged 21.2 points per game, securing the Big East Player of the Year and UPI Player of the Year awards. His smooth stroke and relentless work ethic made him the fifth overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
In the NBA, Allen blossomed into a scoring machine, spending six seasons with the Bucks and earning two All-Star nods. Traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in 2003, he refined his three-point mastery, topping the league in attempts and makes multiple times. By 2007, he joined the Celtics, forming a lethal trio with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Allen helped lead the Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship.
A free-agent signing with the Miami Heat in 2012 extended Allen’s career in a huge way. Teaming up with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, he delivered the iconic corner three in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals against San Antonio, forcing overtime and clinching Miami’s second straight title. Over 18 seasons, the ten-time All-Star amassed 24,505 points and a then-record 2,973 threes, earning Olympic gold in 2000 and Hall of Fame induction in 2018. UConn retired his No. 34 in 2019.
Retiring from the NBA in 2016, Allen’s influence endures. As of 2025, he ranks third in NBA three-point history, behind Stephen Curry and James Harden, with his style shaping the modern era.