So, it is down to Ray, and it is down to Kemba.
In some ways, this is exactly the final I wanted, because, in my mind, these two players are without questions the best UConn ever had. Kemba Walker and Ray Allen belong in the final. But this is also the most difficult pick for me of this entire bracket.
If you compare stats, they both have a compelling argument. Ray was the more prolific shooter, averaging 19 points per game in his career, scored 1,922 total points and hitting 213 three-point shots. Kemba averaged 16.1 points per game, scoring 1,783 points, but he dished out 460 assists. In their final seasons, their points per game average were almost identical, at 23.4 per game for Ray and 23.5 per game for Kemba. Stats are a wash for me.
While none of Ray Allen’s teams made it to a Final Four, for three seasons, he was the centerpiece of some incredible UConn teams. Ray’s junior years, UConn won 30 games, and lost 2, going 17-1 in the Big East, winning the Big East regular season (as they did all three seasons Ray was at UConn) and the tournament. As amazing as Kemba’s postseason run was, UConn was 9-9 in the Big East that year. Ray Allen’s teams only lost 12 games, while in Kemba’s three years his teams lost 30.
But. That 2011 team was so incredibly special. Kemba put that team on his back and carried them to the Promised Land. Five wins in five days in Madison Square Garden will go down in history as the most incredible performance in Big East History. Every time UConn needed a shot, Kemba made one. And to come through the NCAA Tournament, and finish the season by winning the last 11 games is incredible. Cardiac Kemba gave the fans the most amazing post season anyone could ever hope for.
It’s hard to separate Ray’s UConn career and his professional career. Ray’s been awesome for a long time, and he’s cemented himself as the most successful player in UConn history. His NBA records, gold medal, NBA Championship and ten All-Star appearances speak for themselves. Kemba is certainly making a name for himself, but he’s only in his second professional season, so it’s hard to really have perspective on him as a player.
I’ve been going back and forth since Kemba slipped past Donyell Marshal. Ray Allen was my first favorite player, and I’ve loved him for a long time. The question is, do I love Kemba more? I’m honestly not sure. But at the end of the day, though, I think I’ll be sticking with the one I’ve been a fan of the longest, Ray Allen.
