Hall of Famer Ray Allen is stressing the importance of wearing a helmet to his fellow bicycle riders.
Allen revealed Sunday in an Instagram post that he was involved in a biking accident the previous day. He noted that he attempted to speed up after a trailing car was no longer behind him, however the former basketball star took his eyes off the road and ran over a tree branch that forced him off his bike.
Allen, who turns 46 on Tuesday, posted pictures that included his bloody shoulder as well as the marks on the side of his helmet. He said his condition could have been worse had he not been wearing protective headgear.
“Thank God for my helmet because as you can see in the picture my head hit the ground and I didn’t even realize it,” Allen said in the Instagram post. “I wasn’t riding fast at all but the ground still took its toll. When you’re riding you can’t take your eyes off the road because something bad could happen! My helmet saved me from a far worse fate.
“I didn’t want to post this at first because no one wants to show their missteps in life, but as you get older, you learn that life isn’t always about being cool or perfect. It is OK to be vulnerable! More importantly, I had to post this as a reminder for everyone to please wear your helmets when you ride!”
A 10-time All-Star, Allen won NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and Miami Heat in 2013. He is also the NBA career leader in made 3-pointers with 2,973.
Allen was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
–Field Level Media