[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] NBA star Ray Allen shares his love for the game with fans

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It's not every day that a two-time NBA champion speaks to his fans in Tokyo.

That's why Ray Allen's promotional visit to the Japanese capital was a rare treat for basketball fans, who were able to hear his perspective on the sport – and also soak up his knowledge on how to improve as a player.

Allen played exactly 1,300 regular season NBA games in his successful career from 1996 to 2014. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat and won the NBA Finals with the Celtics in 2008 and the Heat in 2013.

An exact replica of the NBA Finals trophy, officially known as the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, accompanied Allen on his friendly visit to Tokyo, which included a stop at the Japanese men's national team training camp on Friday, June 14.

Advice for the Japanese national team

During his visit to a Japan men's national team training session on Friday, Allen challenged head coach Tom Hovasse's players as they prepared for warm-up games ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Allen provided some insights into his own career. At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, he competed for the gold medal-winning USA team.

“I'm still proud that I competed for my country,” Allen told the players. “Previous numbers and rankings don't matter. The greatest respect for the opponent is to fight to the best of your ability.”

This was followed by a question about motivation.

“What does each of you have to do for the team?” he asked.

“I want you to have the desire to improve even one percent, to enjoy every single day and to continue to grow until the last game,” said the former NBA icon. “Now you just have to prove yourself on the court. I wish you the best of luck.”

Allen gives insights into his NBA career

On Saturday, June 15, Allen attended an NBA Finals viewing party in Tokyo's Shibuya district, where the Dallas Mavericks beat the Celtics 122-84 in Game 4 to avoid elimination. Allen took part in an outdoor basketball clinic for students ages elementary school to 18. He also spoke to reporters after the clinic.

Allen, a 10-time NBA All-Star who averaged 18.9 points per game in his career, shared some thoughts on the importance of practice.

“I try to focus on staying in good shape,” the University of Connecticut legend said. “When I get tired, I tend to take shortcuts to make it less difficult.”

“The way you use your body in basketball and in your personal life is completely different. It's important to keep yourself in good shape so that when you play basketball you can use muscles that you don't normally use without getting tired.”

An NBA icon emphasizes positivity

True to his reputation as an optimistic player throughout his NBA career, Allen reminded clinic participants to encourage one another during games and practices.

He emphasized that positive teamwork is a building block of success.

Allen provided a vivid example, pointing out that a simple gesture of congratulations is a good thing.

“Hey guys, do you know how important the high-five is?” Allen asked the excited players. “There's also data that shows that teams that do high-fives have a higher chance of winning.”

“So when a kid on your team makes a good play, please give him a high-five. Let's end today's meeting with a high-five, too.”

The players gathered around Allen.

What happened next?

Of course, a collective high-five with a chant that spectators and participants will easily remember for decades to come.

“One, two, three, NBA!”

It was a fitting and entertaining final moment of the NBA clinic.

Read the full story, which includes additional basketball coverage as well as news on surfing, tennis and more, on SportsLook.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN NextThe special website of SportLookFollow his [Japan Sports Notebook] Sunday, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.