Ray Allen is no spring chicken. At 36, his best days are behind him. Or, are they?
Well, if you're going solely by the numbers, Ray-Ray is actually having a career year in 2012. After seeing his shooting percentage from three-point range dip to around the league average back in 2010, he's shooting a remarkable 46.5 percent from three-point land this season, which is a career-high for him. So, what's been his secret? Getting up more shots in practice? Some weird experimental surgery that's giving him more lift? Better support from his teammates?
Nope. Actually, it's the shoes. No, really. According to Allen, his shooting percentage dipped uncharacteristically back in 2010 because his size 14 sneakers were too small for his feet. So he asked Nike to start sending him size 15 sneakers and—voila!—that did the trick. Ever since then, he's been shooting like his old self again.
"My feet were always hurting," he said recently. "I was at shootaround in Detroit two years ago, I was running through it, and when I got back to the bus, it was just like the shoes, my orthotics—I called over to Nike and said, 'The next shoe allotment, send it to me in 15s.' I've been a 15 ever since...It just doesn't restrict my feet as much. My feet can breathe."
See? We told you it was the shoes!
[via Ball Don't Lie]
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