Alumni Profile: Ray Allen

Looking Back: Ray had a solid year. He never complained about being on his last year of his contract and came to work every day. He was healthy all year and helped propel the Celtics through the playoffs and into the Finals where he had one masterful game, but then struggled throughout the series. He resigned with the Celtics and looks to have another solid chance at a ring.

The Good: He has the most beautiful jumper in the game and is one of the best conditioned athletes too. There are few better from the line then Ray and he has an impeccable motor, running through double and triple screens for open jumpers. He is also an underrated defender and is able to play a surprising amount of minutes for a veteran. One of the best sides of Ray Allen is off the court where he is one of the most charitable athletes, giving as much of his time as he does his cash for his foundation.

The Bad: He is getting up there in age and while he is still playing at a high level, there is no way to outrun time. His minutes will need to be tinkered with to keep his legs fresh and he’ll need help guarding the speedy and athletic backcourts. He tends to get streaky with his shooting and needs to find ways of contributing points when the 3-ball isn’t dropping. Ray also needs to find better ways to involved in rebounding and assists.

Looking Ahead: He has resigned back with the Celtics where it looks like he will finish his career. Boston knows what they’ll get from Ray and barring an injury, he should be a good complement to an aging but still talented team. The season is long and he’ll need to make sure that he doesn’t wear himself out during the middle of the season, but whenever someone counts Allen out, he tends to prove them all wrong.