CELTICS GREEN BLOG by and for boston celtics fans: Allan Ray

by FLCeltsFan 10:10 AM

July 28, 2006

On another slow news day, lets take a look at Allan Ray....

Allan Ray was an undrafted player out of Villanova and will be the new #12 on the Celtics (recently worn by a player very special to me :) ). He is a very good shooter with great range. His wingspan is 6'8.5" and his standing reach is 8'3.5" with a vertical leap of 35.5 inches. He has 2 younger brothers, Kendrick and Aaron and a younger sister, Judith.

He is known to be a gym rat and has been known to be in the gym every day shooting up to 1,000 shots. He has a big-time love for the game and really wants to work to get better.
In his junior season, Ray was named second team all Big East and led the Wildcats in scoring with 16.2 ppg. That year, he also led Villanova to a Sweet 16 where they lost to eventual national champion North Carolina by one point. His senior season was his best. Along with Randy Foye, they made up one of the best guard duos in the country. Ray was named to the Big East first team, along with teammate Randy Foye, who was given the honor of Big East Player of the Year. He was invited to participate in the 2005 USA Basketball World Championship Team Trials.

Ray is known as a streaky, but great, three-point shooter, and is excellent at creating his own shot. He is 6-2 and 195 pounds and his size may be one of the reasons he wasn't drafted as he is a bit undersized for a 2 guard in the NBA. Not a player who is going to put it on the floor and make plays for others, as he is more about putting it on the floor to create a shot for himself. His mid-range jumper is good off the dribble but is still better off the catch.

He needs to continue to get stronger and become a more physical player. His lack of strength may make him a liability on defense and on the boards. But his effort may make up for some of his lack of strength. He has the speed, quickness and effort to defend but gets taken advantage of at times by stronger, more physical players.

He may be best known for the horrible eye injury he suffered in the Big East tournament when he was poked in the eye by Carl Krauser. The eye appeared to come out of the socket and he was unable to see afterwards. Less than a week later he played in the NCAA tournament without even wearing goggles. In his first game back he led Villanova in scoring.

Ray was one of four finalists for the Naismith Award as top college basketball player in the country. Rudy Gay of Connecticut, Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, and J.J. Redick of Duke are the other three in a list that was whittled down from thirty.

When Danny saw that he wasn't going to be drafted, he was on the phone immediately after the draft and told Allan that he wanted him for the Celtics summer league. They liked what they saw of him in camp because he was offered a 2 year deal similar to a second round contract. Like Powe, Allan is determined to make other teams sorry that they passed on him and he very well just may do it! If nothing else, these young and hungry players that Danny is signing will push our other kids to do their best.

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