Last week, Melbourne NBA fans were witness to sporting history when the New Orleans Pelicans touched down in Australia’s unofficial sporting capital to play the first-ever NBA game on Aussie soil. The Pelicans faced off against NBL’s Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix in two preseason matches at Rod Laver Arena, bringing the NBA heat to Aussie soil.
We’re talking superstar Zion Williamson baptising our rims, while shiny new Pelicans Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney made their debut for the franchise.
Along for the ride was NBA legend and Hall of Famer Ray Allen, and PEDESTRIAN.TV pinned him down for an exclusive one-on-one interview while he was Down Under.
Now, for any Gen Alphas or cuspers who may think SGA or Luka Doncic is the greatest thing since LeBron James, Allen is widely considered to be in the OG god tier shooters of all time (Steph Curry is still #1, obviously, but Ray was first). Many argue the man saved LBJ’ career with his infamous clutch, game-tying three in game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. You’re welcome, Bron.
Aussie basketball is blowing up. This year, a record-tying four Aussies were picked in the 2025 NBA Draft (the most since 1997), including names you must remember: Alex Toohey to Golden State Warriors, Rocco Zikarsky to Minnesota Timberwolves, Tyrese Proctor to Cleveland Cavaliers and Lachlan Olbrich to Chicago Bulls.
With this in mind, P.TV asked Ray Allen if he had a message for young Australian basketball players chasing their NBA dream. Allen’s advice was brutally honest.
“Stop running from the smoke. A lot of times the kids are afraid to go where the best competition is,” he said.
“It’s like [kids] want to stay in these spaces where they’re the best, so they’re the biggest, or they’re the smartest, and if that’s the case, you’re in the wrong place.”
The secret? Go where you’ll get humbled.
“Go to where the best competition is and if you become the best in that room, then it’s time to move rooms,” Allen continued. “You go to where the best is and you learn from what they do to make them the best. That’s how you eventually one day will become the best.”
(It was in stark contrast to his former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, also in Melbourne, who told a room full of kids on school holidays that “I don’t care what anybody tells you fuck ‘em. If you love it, you believe in it, you believe in yourself, you chase that shit. You hear me?” Classic KG. Perfect, no notes.)
Being the best is about more than rings; it’s about leaving a cultural legacy. Allen has been name-dropped by everyone from Drake to Playboi Carti, from Bow Wow in the 00s and 1900Rugrat just this year (“I don’t talk about too much. Feel like Ray Allen, they done subbed me in and I done clutched”), so we asked Allen how it felt to have transcended basketball and become cemented in pop culture.
“It’s always great to leave good things out there that people have good things to talk about,” he said
“Whenever you’re in a rap song, it seems as though there’s respect that’s being paid to you and your craft.”
Allen touched on the dark side of modern fame in the social media era, where moments get turned into memes. (See: the never-ending Kawhi Leonard laughing memes, the constant fan commentary on Zion Williamson’s physique and the Brooklyn Nets Kevin Garnett meme.)
“Nowadays with social media, so many things can go wrong where you almost get bullied online,” he said.
“It’s always great to leave good things out there that people have good things to talk about. It certainly is always a great honour because a lot of rappers play basketball. It’s a nod to the legacy of who I’ve been and what my career has meant to other people.”
Speaking at the NBA Store’s SlamPay event in Melbourne, Allen didn’t hesitate when naming the ultimate role model for young Aussie ballers: Patty Mills.
“[He’s] won championships in San Antonio,” Allen said. “Patty is not a big player but he has a big heart and he’s a great example for all young [Australians]. Patty’s been a great example. He’s been a great ambassador for Australia.”
Later at a Slampay fan event at the official NBA Store, Allen spilled some technical tea for you ballers perfecting your three-point shooting: when practising your shot, quality over quantity is key.
“How many times will you in a game be standing still flat-footed and shoot the ball? Zero. So why would you practice that way?” Allen asked.
“You have to practice like the biggest guy in the world is guarding you and he can jump through the roof… Imagine the best player in your league or let’s imagine LeBron James is guarding you. He jumps up and tries to block your jump shot. Now, that’s how you have to train (like) Lebron is in front of you.”
Basically, work smarter — we hear you, Ray.
This author travelled to Melbourne courtesy of Visit Victoria.
Image source: Getty Images
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