Ray Allen On Facing Michael Jordan For First Time: "I Was Scared To Death"

NBA great Ray Allen recently detailed his first encounter as a rookie against Michael Jordan

This was before the Game 6 shot for the Miami Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals. 

It was also before the championship season with the Boston Celtics. This was when NBA great Ray Allen was just making his way into the league.

Allen only had to wait two games into his rookie year in 1996 before facing perhaps the game's greatest player, Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. Allen detailed in a recent interview with Basketball News.

"My second game of my rookie year, preseason, we played against the Bulls at the United Center," Allen said. "So imagine that as a 21-year-old, you're playing against MJ? I was scared to death." 

Ray Allen was one of the first players to sign with Jordan Brand. He shares the story of how Nike recruited him, and why his sneaker-deal talks ultimately led to him firing his first agent.

Then, Allen and James Posey talk about their first time playing against Michael Jordan: pic.twitter.com/n243qbOFEg

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) August 12, 2023

Allen faced Jordan when he was arguably at his peak. The Bulls were coming off the most dominating season in NBA history, winning a then-record 72 games and defeating the Seattle Supersonics in the Finals. 

Allen was just a few months removed from being a standout at UCONN. 

"In the United Center," Allen said. "Can you imagine hearing that theme song when they run out on the floor, people there, ready and waiting and watching the game? And I'm sitting on the court? I've watched this for the last 10 years of my life, so now I'm here. I'm rooting for him against me." 

Allen eventually settled to have a solid, Hall of Fame career. He won two championships, one with the Celtics and the other in Miami. At one point, he was the league's all-time 3-point leader before he was passed by Golden State's Stephen Curry. 

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