Although Ray Allen was not selected as the No. 1 pick in the 1996 draft class, his performance at the collegiate level helped him gain significant traction from the media.
More importantly, during his junior year at UConn, Allen averaged 23.4 points on 46.6% shooting from the 3-point line, which not only forced everyone to praise his ability to create space and knock down shots effortlessly but even draw comparisons to Michael Jordan .
Consequently, when Ray-Ray faced the five-time MVP for the first time in his rookie season, his expectations were high to show his mettle. However, Mike ended all such hype when he dropped a mage-high performance by making Allen realize the actual firsthand experience of playing against an all-time great.
Allen on his experience playing against MJ
On December 03, 1996, the Chicago Bulls traveled to Milwaukee to play the Bucks. That was the first time Ray squared off against the mighty MJ and was also tasked with guarding the 6'6" shooting guard for most of the game. Despite Allen employing various strategies to impede Jordan's scoring wrath, the 14-time All-Star seemed unstoppable.
He knocked 13 of his 27 shots from the field and ended the game with a game-high 40-point performance to lead the Bulls to a nail-biting 107-104 victory.
Put simply, even though Ra-Rayy tried getting physical and throwing himself at MJ, nothing worked in his favor. Unsurprisingly, the New York native's dominance left a lasting impression on Ray.
"He wasn't mean to me, " Allen recalled during his appearance on The Dan Patrick Show. "He actually killed me slowly."
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Ray gained Michael Jordan's respect
Observing Allen's subpar 8-point (3-of-9 from the field) performance, head coach Chris Ford reprimanded him for his half-hearted defensive efforts against Jordan. However, in a surprising turn of events, the six-time Finals MVP approached Allen and the Bucks' bench and offered words of encouragement, acknowledging his commendable effort.
"I did everything the game plan said, " Allen added. "Then there is a break in the action, and we're sitting there, and you know Chris Ford is hammering me, and MJ comes over and said that I'm doing a great job while in the meantime he has 45 in the books."
It's safe to say that such an anecdote provides a unique perspective on MJ's character. While many other stories portray the five-time MVP as a relentless competitor who often employed a psychological tactic to undermine his opponent's confidence, this particular incident highlights a different facet of his personality — one that recognized and appreciated genuine effort from the younger players.
Perhaps that is why so many players who encountered MJ, even in the latter phase of his career, crown him as the undisputed GOAT.
Related: "Become a great free throw shooter first" - Ray Allen reveals two things every player should do to become a lethal 3-point shooter
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