Ray Allen has a stern reminder for bikers everywhere: wear your helmet.
The Hall of Fame basketball player was involved in a scary bike accident Sunday, but it could have been worse if not for his head protection, which saved him “from a far worse fate.”
Allen took to Instagram to describe the chilling incident, one in which he ran over a tree branch and his “front wheel went haywire and threw [him] from the bike.”
After landing on his face, shoulder and hip, Allen was taken to the emergency room, where doctors determined “all was okay.”
The 46-year-old was originally embarrassed to share his story, but noted: “it is okay to be vulnerable.” He then emphasized the importance of wearing a helmet, which took a bashing instead of his head.
Seventy-eight percent of adult cyclists and 88 percent of young riders who experienced head and neck injuries did not wear a helmet, according to a study published in the scientific journal Brain Injury that sampled 76,032 cycling injuries between 2002 and 2012.
Allen was one of the best shooters of all time during his NBA career. In his 18 years in the league, he played with the Bucks, Supersonics, Celtics and Heat. Allen won two NBA championships — one with the Celtics and one with the Heat. His game-tying three-pointer late in the fourth quarter in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals was one of the most iconic shots in basketball history.