Ray Allen knew LeBron had player options that summer.
As the clock ticked down in the dying seconds of the epic Game 6 of the NBA Finals in 2013, Ray Allen emerged as the unsurprising hero by knocking down the most crucial shot of the game. As most can recall, Allen’s corner three-pointer marked the beginning of the Miami Heat’s rally to an emphatic back-to-back NBA championship.
However, what many might not know is that Allen’s iconic shot might have held the power to potentially alter the course of NBA history. According to Ray-Ray, LeBron James was set to decide on his contract that summer. That said, Allen didn’t rule out the possibility of LeBron exploring free agency had he not sunk that shot, and the Heat ultimately lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
“If I don’t make that shot, it’s pretty easy to say that we don’t win the championship—and things happen differently moving forward. It changes a lot about history,” Allen told Chris Bosh in 2020 via thelastchip.com.
“I was going to be a free agent,” he continued. “I had player options; LeBron had player options. If he decides to go somewhere else, it’s a house of cards—everything crumbles.”
Allen said the Heat veterans stayed in the moment
Indeed, the 2012-23 season was a momentous one for the Heat. The squad was stacked with season veterans, including James and Allen, and they all had their sights set firmly on clinching the NBA title. Nothing less, nothing more.
As Ray reflected on the subject, he also took the opportunity to let people know about the mentality they had during their quest for victory that season. Allen emphasized that as the season unfolded, the Heat’s commitment to winning became more and more evident, especially the vets.
It’s also worth noting that while part of Allen believed James would’ve opted to switch teams had they failed to cop the 2013 NBA championship, he also mentioned that he and LeBron were also thinking about just carrying on if everything went south.
“But we didn’t worry about that at the time,” Allen pointed out. “I think we were the oldest team in the league, so we didn’t really think about free agency. That’s what young players think about because they’re worried about finances, worried about their future. We knew the time was now, and we were built to win. But we also knew that sometimes you get beat by a better team, and you tip your hat and move forward.”
LeBron remains indebted to Allen and vice versa
Inevitably, the narrative that James should thank Allen emerged shortly after the 2013 Finals. To address the matter, Allen once revealed that LeBron, indeed, never failed to express his deep gratitude to him for drilling that clutch shot that gave The King his second NBA championship.
However, Ray-Ray also revealed that gratitude wasn’t one way. Like James, Allen confided that he is also forever indebted to the Heat for trusting his skill and letting him become a part of the team’s pursuit of another NBA title.
“Oh yeah, they do. They definitely do [thank me],” Allen once revealed. “And I owe them a debt of gratitude for accepting me into the fold. They already had a championship environment, and to welcome me in to help them get to the next level that’s what true winners do. They always continue to find ways to win by any means necessary. They’re always willing to learn and get better. There hasn’t been a year that’s gone by where either one of them hasn’t mentioned 2013 to me. They’re always grateful for my input.”
The shot that added glitter to Allen’s already shimmering career
Taking a quick trip down memory lane, Allen’s game-tying corner trey in Game 6 forced an overtime. Still pumped up, the Heat capitalized on the momentum shift and torched the Spurs 103-100 to extend the series into a do-or-die Game 7.
Miami then went on and closed the series out with a 95-88 victory, and the rest, as they say, is history. Of course, it was monumental for the Heat franchise, and needless to say, it added glitter to Allen’s already shimmering career.
In retrospect, Allen’s three-pointer was one of the most iconic shots ever made in the NBA. This unforgettable moment cemented Allen’s reputation as a clutch player and solidified his legacy as one of the greatest shooters ever to grace NBA hardwood.
From Allen’s fellow NBA players’ perspective, what he pulled off was a perfect display of skill, focus, and determination under immense pressure. Ray was already a celebrated future Hall of Famer even before he joined the Heat, but that shot earned him the respect and admiration of his peers, coaches, and fans alike.
As for LeBron, it’s safe to say that Allen would forever be part of his championship legacy and perhaps one of the players that made him stay and play for the Heat.