Ray Allen Talks About Cultural Significance Of ‘He Got Game’

He Got Game has left an indelible mark on all hoops fans since it’s original release 16-years ago. From the music, to the sneakers, and the actual storyline itself, the movie is considered the best basketball movie by many hoops heads worldwide.

May 2014 marked the anniversary of the iconic film and we caught up with Ray Allen in Brooklyn recently to ask him why he feels the movie has stood the test of time, and if he could give away any hints to the story for the projected sequel.

Starting5online: Talk to me a little about He Got Game. When you were filming the movie, did you ever imagine it would have the cultural significance it does today to the sport of basketball?

Ray Allen: What I knew then was, that I wasn’t going to not be a part of this because I knew that in the future it wasn’t going to be something that I would have regretted if I didn’t do it. I could never imagine the magnitude that it’s reached today – we’re talking 16-years later, but you’ve got Spike Lee, most of his movies that he’s done have huge cultural impact.

I grew up watching his films, and what they’ve done for me growing up and a lot of people, so being a part of that for me is like, an awesome experience.

S5: Has that helped the film stand the test of time, that 16-years later it is still relevant to a new generation?

RA: I think both sides; the fact that I’m still playing helps, the fact that he [Spike Lee] still does what he does, and Denzel [Washington] is still a great actor. We’re older men now, but it still carries weight in today’s world.

S5: Did it take a lot of convincing for you to shoot the movie?

RA: No. I just went in. I was a young kid, I was like ‘you get me to do anything, I’ll do it.’

S5: Can you give us an insight into any potential plot-lines for He Got Game 2?

RA: No. [Laughs] No.

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