Ray Allen, a Miami Heat legend, is returning to the city where he stole the hearts of fans everywhere. However, he’ll be in a suit instead of a uniform.
Since retiring from the NBA in 2014, Allen has yet to re-enter the world of basketball. That is, until this year.
The former shooting guard has accepted a head coaching position at Gulliver Prep. He will coach their boy’s basketball team.
Gulliver Prep is located in Pinecrest, Florida, which is just south of Miami. As mentioned, this will be Allen’s first time in the world of basketball since retiring from the league almost eight years ago.
Allen spent 18 years in the NBA with four different organizations. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle Supersonics, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat.
He is a two-time NBA champion, as he won once with the Celtics in 2008 and once with the Heat in 2013. Obviously, every true Miami Heat fan remembers how important he was to their 2013 championship.
After battling against the Heat for years whilst on the Celtics, Allen turned to “the dark side” when he joined Miami. He then hit the biggest shot of his career in the 2013 Finals.
The shot, which produced one of the best Mike Breen sound bites of all time, helped clinch Miami their second-straight NBA championship. He nailed a three in the corner that helped keep the Heat alive.
Well, after being away from the game for so long, Allen will return to basketball in the city that loves him so much. Gulliver Prep struggled last season, and Allen will look to turn things around for the Florida prep school.
Last year, they finished with a record of 5-16. This was just one year removed from when they won 23 games in the 2019-20 season.
This is Allen’s first-ever coaching gig, so it could end up kickstarting a long career in the field. Maybe one day Allen will be a coach in the NBA.
For now, though, Allen will be right next door to Miami this year. He’ll be right next door to the arena where he became a Miami Heat legend.