“I was very excited. He’s a guy that’s made a great career for himself. The teams we played for in Seattle, we had some great times. Over four years, we only made it to the playoffs one time, but he had some great teams. We had fun together and respected each other and that’s something I’ve always appreciated and cherished.”

Early in Lewis’ career, Allen served as his mentor, teaching him how to be a pro on and off the court. Fifteen years and two All-Star berths later, Lewis is still using the things Allen taught him all those years ago.

“Ray helped me make my first All-star team,” Lewis said. “He taught me the importance of taking care of my body and important off-the-court things. I listened to him a lot and it’s helped my career. I still use all of his tips today.”

via Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM