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Ray Allen Visits UConn

Source: Robert W Stowell Jr / Getty

One of the sharpest shooters the NBA has ever seen, Ray Allen will officially be added the Basketball Hall Of Fame.

No one is surprised—after all, he holds the record for the most made three-pointers of all time. But the old adage, “Is it shoes?” has been a constant in Allen’s career. That Jordan endorsement has afforded him some of the most coveted Player Exclusives outside of Mike Bibby and Rip Hamilton. In honor of Allen getting bestowed with one of the highest basketball honors possible here are our favorite Jesus Shuttlesworth sneaker moments, because nowadays most of his sneakers are golf cleats.

UConn, 1993-96

Ray Allen Jams

Source: Robert W Stowell Jr / Getty

Milwaukee Bucks, 1996–03

Before the accolades, before the big NBA contracts, Allen was the Big East’s poster child. While he wasn’t able to take home any hardware during his UConn tenure, he cemented his legacy with 115 three-pointers in one season. And he did it while wearing the hottest Nike Basketball sneakers of that era—many of which have been retroed. From the Air Max Uptempo 95 and 96’s to the Nike Air Penny 1, Allen was sure to pair ’em with his uniform if they matched.

Bucks v Magic X

Source: Eliot J. Schechter / Getty

Seattle SuperSonics, 2003–07

Allen was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks alongside Andrew Lang in the 1996 draft. But that trade provided us with plenty of iconic purple and green Jordan Player Exclusives. Among those was the Air Jordan XVI that he rocked in both Home and Away colorways. Both of which had purple and green trimmings to match the Buck’s ’90s aesthetic perfectly. Even T-Mac looks a bit envious.

Suns v Sonics

Source: Otto Greule Jr / Getty

Milwaukee’s big three couldn’t get it done and midway through the 2002-03 season, he was dealt to the Seattle Supersonics. The colors of the sneakers changed but the heat kept coming. Allen rocked White and Yellow 12s during his first season with the Sonics and would routinely switch it up with the Air Jordan 19s outfitted with Sonic Green months before the shoes hit the shelf in March 2004.

Boston Celtics, 2007–12

Los Angeles Lakers v Boston Celtics

Source: Brian Babineau / Getty

Allen wouldn’t win a ring until he’d eventually be traded to the Celtics with the help of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. The PE that stood out the most was the Air Jordan 11, not only because it’s one of the favorite signature models of MJ but because the patent leather that surrounded the sneakers was gold—which represented that ’08 championship run for the Celtics. Rudy Gay once tried to get them from Allen, thinking that having the same alma mater would help, but it didn’t. And for the additional flex, Allen would even mismatch them with Premio bin23’s with green laces to add a bit of Celtic pride.

Miami Heat, 2012–14

Miami Heat v Cleveland Cavaliers

Source: Jason Miller / Getty

In a controversial move, Allen decided to take his talents to South Beach to get a chance at another ring. He would make it to the finals and win again in 2013 and outside of Bulls’ uniforms, general release Jordans just look right with Heat jerseys. Allen also wore another pair of exclusive 11s with red detailing instead of green to pay homage to the Miami Heat and did the same with a pair of Air Jordan 16s.