Spike Lee is apparently looking to film a spoof of his 1998 hit film “He Got Game,” and he needs Ray Allen in order to do that. Lee is reportedly doing a piece having something to do with Allen’s character Jesus Shuttlesworth, but it sounds like the project will have to wait.
According to the NY Post, Spike and his camera crew attended Thursday morning’s Miami Heat shootaround at AmericanAirlines Arena before Game 7. Allen, who is incredibly particular about his game day routine, had no interest in cooperating with the filming.
When Lee approached the Miami PR staffer, he was told Allen does not speak at shootarounds. It was unclear if the Miami publicist recognized Spike initially.
When Lee persisted, he was told Allen will be told of the request. Soon after, Lee got the bad news. Allen felt it would be too distracting before Thursday night’s monumental Game 7 against the Spurs and was sticking to his shootaround policy.
Spike has been around basketball enough to know that was a bad idea, let alone with a guy who eats the same meal, arrives at the same time, shaves his head at the same time, and practices shots from the same spot every time he has a game. And Thursday night wasn’t just a game, it was the last game of the year in which a champion was about to be crowned.
Lee, while disappointed, reportedly wished Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra good luck and went on his way. Hopefully he can catch up with Jesus at some point in the near future, because I’m interested to see what he has in the works.
