It is a well known fact that NBA players wear some serious heat on the court. This has made it customary for game recognize game moments, where a players pays props to an opponent’s shoes during a break in action. Some players during these moments often ask their opponent where they got their shoes or even more ambitiously, if they can have the shoes off that player’s feet after the game.
That’s at least what Rudy Gay asked Ray Allen a few years ago. Gay however, was denied.
Talking with Sports Illustrated‘s Jarrell Harris, Gay reminisced about being in love with Allen’s Air Jordan 11 “Ring Night” PE during a game. Gay believed that since he went to UConn just like Allen, he would have an in for the shoes. But that wasn’t the case at all as the then-Celtics guard would not give Gay his sneakers but for good reason.
From SI:
JH: Have you ever had a moment while playing where you stopped and was like man, what are those? Who was it?
RG: Yeah, it was against Ray Allen when he was with the Boston Celtics. We played against them around Christmas and he had the white and gold Air Jordan elevens on and I remember we went to the same college, so I already thought in my mind he was going to give me those shoes right after the game, and he was like Nah, these are the only pair I got. It was one of those situations, because he wears a 13 and I wear a 14, that I would have had to take the sole out (laughs).
Allen’s Air Jordan 11s were pretty dope, so you can understand why Gay would want them. It is hilarious that Allen told him no though. But Allen had that sweet Brand Jordan connect and clearly he wasn’t going to spread the wealth around so generously, at least not on one-of-ones.
