10-time NBA all-star first basketball legend to join Fred Couples’ Team USA
(DUBAI, United Arab Emirates) – The ICONS Cup – a first-of-its-kind, two-day, Ryder Cup-style team golf competition taking place April 22-24 at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course – announces two-time NBA Champion and Olympic gold medal winner Ray Allen will play for Fred Couples’ Team USA.
Allen played key roles in defining moments of two NBA Finals. With the Boston Celtics in 2008, he tied a Finals record with seven three-pointers in Game 6 to help clinch the title over the arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers. In 2013 as a member of the Miami Heat, he hit a game-tying three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left to force overtime in Game Six; these heroics were followed by a title-sealing steal and free throws with 1.2 seconds left in Game Seven.
A gold medal winner for the United States at the 2000 Olympic Games, Allen was a consensus All-American at the University of Connecticut and the No. 5 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals made and played on 10 All-Star teams during his illustrious 18-year career.
The first basketball star unveiled to represent Couples’ Team USA, he joins fellow sporting legends and low-handicap golfers Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Glavine, Brett Hull and Mike Modano.
“Fred’s selections continue to impress, as Ray is widely considered the best golfer in the NBA,” says ICONS Cup Tournament Director Adrian Flaherty. “No stranger to playing with U.S. Presidents, he should be very comfortable with the pressure competitors will experience as they battle for the ICONS Cup.”
Conceived, owned and produced by Worldwide Sports & Entertainment, Ltd. (WWSEL), the ICONS Cup is a significant departure from a standard celebrity golf event. It exclusively features low-handicap, A-list athletes playing morning foursomes (alternate shot) on Day One followed by 12 singles matches (Thursday, April 23). The ICONS Cup concludes the following day with 12 additional singles matches.
Team USA will battle Darren Clarke’s 12-man Team Rest of the World (ROTW) in a match play golf event. Its roster of international sporting superstars is set: Gabriel Batistuta, Luis Figo, Robbie Fowler, Andriy Shevchenko and Dwight Yorke (football); Kapil Dev, Brian Lara and Shane Warne (cricket); George Gregan, Brian O’Driscoll and Mike Tindall, MBE (rugby); and Sir Steve Redgrave (Olympic rowing).
For detailed player bios and more information: www.iconscup.com
About Worldwide Sports & Entertainment, Ltd.
Worldwide Sports & Entertainment, Ltd. (WWSEL) is a boutique sports, events and lifestyle business. It creates, owns and manages niche, high-profile sports events around the world. WWSEL produces unique content for global TV and digital distribution. With offices in the U.K. and Dubai serving 44 countries, its talented team generates international conversation with inspiring events like the ICONS Cup and the PLAYERS Cup.
For more information: www.wwsel.com
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