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"Bucks
on the break, Brandon, the dish to Allen ... Allen with the
reverse jam!"
This has been a familiar scene in Milwaukee and the NBA
lately. Ray Allen, the former University of Connecticut
superstar, is finally emerging as a solid NBA product.
Just two years ago, Allen was dominating the Big East, and
NCAA basketball. As a junior, he averaged 23.4 points per
game, was named the Big East Player of the Year, and was
tabbed as a unanimous Big East First Team pick and First Team
All-American. He led UConn to the Sweet Sixteen in the 1996
NCAA Tournament before losing to Mississippi State.
Then came the announcement that Allen was foregoing his senior
year to enter the NBA draft. He was selected by Minnesota and
immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. As a rookie, he
started 81 (of 82 games), but only managed to average 13.4
points per game. On a team with Glenn Robinson, and All-Star
Vin Baker, he was rarely passed to.
Over the summer, Baker was traded in a multi-team deal that
gave the Bucks All-Star point guard Terell Brandon. With the
addition of Brandon, Allen now gets the ball more often, and
more importantly, scores more. Milwaukee is also off to a
surprisingly good start. Allen has been called "Jordanesque,"
since his game resembles the great Michael Jordan's.
Believe it or not, Allen is a great basketball player. This
year, he is proving to everyone that he was not a hoax; he is
a true NBA player. He possesses the skills to become a
perennial All-Star, and has the ability to make the Bucks
playoff contenders. Is he the next Michael Jordan? Only time
will tell. One thing is for sure, though: Ray Allen is a
rising star. l
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