Ray Allen Inspires Africa's Next Generation At Jr. NBA Clinic In Soweto

Forbes

4 days ago

When Ray Allen arrived in South Africa, it wasn't just another overseas trip, it was a return to something deeper. For the two-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer, it was a homecoming to Ubuntu—the Southern African philosophy that shaped his 2008 Celtics team and still guides his views on community and legacy.
'Being here, there is a sense of unity and camaraderie I felt in the country,' Allen shared with Forbes.com in Johannesburg. 'It is unique compared to America. Having been in Rwanda and now South Africa, similar plights for Black people, you see togetherness and people encouraging each other.'
Ubuntu, I am because we are, is more than a concept to Allen. Experiencing it in Africa gave the word renewed meaning. 'It's been extremely peaceful everywhere I've gone,' he said. 'Understanding the music, food, and the belief in the earth, people live it here.'
The Celtics adopted Ubuntu in 2008 through Kita 'Thierry' Matungulu, then on the coaching staff and now NBA Africa's Director of Basketball Operations. It became the heartbeat of their title run, their first in over 20 years.
Allen's bond with Matungulu, a respected African basketball figure, helped bring him to the continent. 'Kita and I have been friends for close to two decades,' Allen said. 'He always talked about the players and passion here. Now to see it, it's special.'
Their long-standing friendship helped spark Allen's visit, but it also signalled his deeper connection to Africa's rising basketball movement. 'There's a resource here,' he said. 'A resource for connection, for young people to see a path forward. And Kita, who's been in the trenches for years, is now leading the charge.'
Inspiring the Next Generation
That philosophy echoed loudly at the Jr. NBA clinic where Allen spent time with dozens of South African children eager to learn from him. For someone whose name is etched into basketball history for holding the all-time three-point record for a decade, it wasn't his shot that inspired the young players, but his presence.
Many of the children weren't even born when Allen won his first NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008. By the time he secured his second title with the Miami Heat in 2013, cemented by one of the most iconic shots in Finals history, many were only beginning to run around their family yards. And yet, here they were: wide-eyed, attentive, and ready to listen to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer.
'Walking into a room of kids who have so much joy and excitement for life, I think about their potential, not what they look like now, but what they can do if you pour into them,' Allen said. 'Just seeing me inspires, and that's always going to stay with me.'
What Makes Me an Expert is That I Didn't Quit
To the young South African hopefuls gathered around him, the advice came with no illusions. 'The one thing I tell kids always is that what makes me an expert is that I didn't quit,' he said, pausing to make eye contact with a boy near the front of the group. 'It's going to get difficult. You're going to have obstacles to overcome. There's going to be things and people standing in your way telling you that you're not good enough.'
It wasn't just motivational talk. It was a lived experience. The road to success in basketball, or any field, is rarely linear.Rejections, losses, injuries, and self-doubt are familiar companions. But he encouraged the kids to see adversity not as a reason to stop, but as fuel to keep going.
'You're going to have bad days. You're going to have bad games. There's always going to be a player better than you are,' he said. 'Find that player and learn what they know. Compete against them and just keep showing up for yourself every single day.'
In the rhythm of drills and the sweat of determination, the players weren't just building skills. They were absorbing a lesson in perseverance: keep showing up, and slowly, you'll rise from your neighbourhood, to your province and eventually to the national level.
The Impact Beyond the Court
Of course, not every child who picks up a ball will make it to the professional ranks, and that's okay. When asked what he hoped the kids would take from the clinic, his answer was deeply grounded in care.
'I just want these kids to realise that we care about them,' he said. 'We didn't grow up here, but spreading the love of basketball, that message, if you can teach kids how to play, there are lessons in the game that most likely you're not going to learn at home.'
Basketball becomes a classroom of its own. It teaches discipline, teamwork, nutrition, rest, communication, and resilience. It's a silent teacher, constantly giving its players real-world lessons in how to handle pressure, how to trust others, and how to bounce back after a fall.
His message extended beyond those who make the team. He pointed to the success of Masai Ujiri, the former president of the Toronto Raptors and a pioneer for African basketball leadership. 'Masai played basketball, but even without playing in the NBA, he is successful,' he said.
Ujiri's path is proof that the ecosystem around sport is just as important. From coaching to scouting, operations to media, marketing to development, there's a place for everyone. 'He's also a lesson to kids in Africa that if you don't make it based on the odds, there are still so many opportunities around the game, whether in college or the professional ranks, that you can be successful in.'
The Power of Influence and Unity Through Basketball
In South Africa, the mantra that 'sport has the power to unite and change the world' resonates across generations, and for Allen, it's a belief reinforced by both personal experience and global perspective. Whether mentoring kids at a clinic, reflecting on the cultural impact of He Got Game, or discussing the business of sport, Allen continues to think deeply about how influence travels.
'Basketball is not just a sport,' he said. 'It's business, it's education, it's community, it's a resource, a community resource. It's real estate when you talk about building facilities and arenas that give people jobs and bring tourism to your city.'
He's seen it firsthand. In cities across America that once lacked a sporting identity, basketball became the heartbeat of revitalisation. New teams brought pride, investment, and hope. Young kids growing up in overlooked neighbourhoods began to dream beyond their circumstances because someone who looked like them was not only visible but reachable. 'When you have a professional sports team or a college in your town, kids have that opportunity to participate,' he said. 'In most of the team cities that I played in, you do school visits a lot, so the kids in the community see you and realise that as much as they support us, we support them.'
Basketball's true power, he suggested, lies in its ability to connect people. In a divided world, a great game can bring thousands together. Wins are shared, losses are mourned, and identity is shaped around the team. 'It's been a uniter of people,' he said. 'You just see people come together in support of their team, and it's such a beautiful experience. It makes them feel good about themselves.'
However, true connection isn't limited to the arena. It extends into culture and imagination. 'Movies like He Got Game matter,' Allen said. 'When young Black and Brown kids see the struggles people go through on screen, it's both an education and an inspiration. They see it and say: I want that to be me someday.'
So, what does legacy look like for a man who's already done it all on the court? For Allen, it's about showing up, being seen, and passing the torch, again and again. 'Just being here, knowing that what I did in my career still matters to people, it encourages me,' he shared. 'It reminds me to keep using my platform to grow the game, to inspire young people, and to remind them: you are seen. And you matter.'
A Lasting Connection With Fans
Beyond the clinic, Allen's impact was equally visible at a local NBA Store meet-and-greet. A line of between 50 and 100 fans, spanning generations, waited patiently for a chance to meet him. Some came for photos, others for an autograph, and more than a few tried to sneak in a question about shooting mechanics or what it takes to go pro.
From Milwaukee to Seattle, Boston to Miami, many of the fans had followed his career for years. They watched the smooth-shooting guard light up arenas, break records, and hit clutch shots. For them, this wasn't just nostalgia; it was recognition of a legacy that helped shape their love for the game.
Africa's Basketball Rise and Global Influence
Having represented Team USA in the 2000 Olympics, Allen has witnessed basketball's global evolution firsthand. And perhaps nowhere has that growth been more inspiring than in Africa, making reference to Luol Deng's efforts with South Sudan, which made their Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics or even Dikembe Mutombo's lasting impact through his involvement in NBA Africa and the BAL and his humanitarian efforts.
'What Luol Deng is doing with South Sudan, what Dikembe Mutombo has done by building hospitals and raising awareness. These players may live abroad, but their roots are here. Their success sends a clear message to kids across the continent: You can do it too.'
'You look at Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam, so many great players have come from Africa. That should be an inspirational message for all these young kids: you too can make it.'
The clinic wasn't just about passing on skills; it was about planting seeds. Among the young faces could be future national team stars, coaches, trainers, doctors, arena architects, or NBA draftees. The pathways are expanding, and the possibilities are endless.