It’s become common knowledge among basketball fans that sons of legendary hoopers usually don’t turn as good as their fathers. There are plenty of examples over the years of these heirs falling short of the impossible standards their famous parents have set.
The latest example of things not working out is with the Rhode Island Rams. They managed to bag Ray Allen III as a preferred walk-on which brought attention to the program for a bit. However, it seems like his collegiate career isn’t off to the best start as he’s already requested out of the team as the transfer portal begins to gain traction.
Ray Allen III joins the transfer portal due to a lack of game time with the Rhode Island Rams
The Spun’s Andrew Gould reported that the son of the legendary sharpshooter called it quits with the team after barely playing any minutes with the team.
Gould also writes about how the season fared for the Rams:
Allen joined Rhode Island as a preferred walk-on last year. The three-star recruit from Miami’s Gulliver Prep High School made one brief appearance during his freshman season.
The 6-foot-1 guard played two minutes in a 97-59 win over Johnson & Wales on Nov. 22. He made one of two field goal attempts with a steal and a turnover.
Rhode Island went 12-20 during Archie Miller’s second season as head coach. The Rams lost 13 of their final 16 games, including a 74-71 loss to Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 tournament’s opening round.
According to MaxPreps.com, the 6’1″ guard averaged 9.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists during his final year at Gulliver Prep. Since these numbers don’t grab headlines, it made sense that he was only a walk-on to the team.
While it’s still unknown where Ray Allen III will end up, it’s clear that he will have a hard time finding a D1 program that will be interested in his services
Why do children of NBA players struggle in college?
Ray Allen III isn’t the only NBA progeny who tried to make it to the league. There are examples of NBA players who manage to find success in the league, with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson being the most obvious examples.
However, more sons of NBA players seemingly didn’t inherit the impressive game their fathers had. Both Marcus and Jeffrey Jordan failed to make it to the league. Bronny James is advised to stay in USC after a terrible rookie campaign.
There are various reasons why this is the case. It may simply be a case of genetics. Their approach to the game may also have an impact on how well they perform.
In Allen’s case, he isn’t really dealt with the best cards. He’s four inches shorter than his father. His high school stats also show that he’s not as prolific as his father on the court.
While there’s still time for him to turn his fortunes around, it’s going to be a tough climb for him.
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