Rashard Lewis Says This Advice From Hall of Famer Ray Allen Made Him an All-Star
Ray Allen is one of the best shooters in NBA History. During his 17 years in the NBA Allen averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. On February 20th, 2002, the Seattle Supersonics struck a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks that sent longtime Sonic Gary Payton and Desmond Mason for Ray Allen. The Sonics also received Kevin Ollie and Ronald Murray and a conditional first-round draft pick.
At the time Allen was a six-year veteran and three-time All-Star. He spent his entire with the Bucks before the trade with Seattle. Allen also won a gold medal in 2000 with Team USA and was a member in 2004 as well.
“It was an All-Star point guard for an All-Star two-guard. Both players are great,” Nets vice president Rod Thorn commented. “Gary was in the last year with Seattle. They felt they got a quality player in Ray. That’s a trade that could be real good for both teams.”
The trade with Milwaukee would team Allen with Rashard Lewis, who was four years removed from making to skip college and enter the 1998 NBA Draft. The Seattle Supersonics would take him with the 32nd pick out of Alief Elsik High School in Houston, Texas. Lewis and Allen played five years together in Seattle before Allen was shipped to Boston along with Glen Davis, the 35th overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft in exchange for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Jeff Green, and a first-round pick. The two would again become teammates in Miami in 2012 and won a championship with the Miami Heat alongside Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
The Big 3 was in Dallas earlier this month, and I had the opportunity to speak with Lewis about what he learned from Ray Allen.
” I think that is why I was able to have a 17-year career, make two All-Star games, and not only that playing in the Finals couple times because guys like Ray Allen. When he came to the Seattle Supersonics, he thought me how to work during the summers and to get there before practice. Staying after practice even get to the games early to mentally compare yourself.
He told me whatever you put in your body is what you are going to get out there on the court. So, there is a lot of things off the court that helped me on the court and become an All-Star watching that guy workout.”
Ray Allen’s workout and pregame routine are legendary just ask Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban. Last season Cuban shared with me that Allen used to have the best pregame routine.
Cuban replied, “Not weird, but Ray Allen used to have the best. He used to be out here even before I came out here, and was like bam, bam, bam, bam every time and was like you want to shoot for money? I was like I got rich by not being stupid Ray.”
During his career, Lewis averaged 14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists throughout his 17-year career in the NBA and won a championship as a member of the Miami Heat.
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