On Monday night, the Celtics celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the TD Garden. Bill Walker addressed the crowd with a pregame tribute, the Celtics aired commemorative videos from former NBA players during timeouts and Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Shelden Williams and J.R. Giddens wore gray Nike sneakers in honor of the holiday.

This day has become widely celebrated throughout the NBA, with games starting in the afternoon and ending late at night on national television. It has become a holiday that young fans are accustomed to celebrating, but not everyone on the Celtics grew up that way.

Ray Allen relocated from California to South Carolina as a teenager. The son of an Air Force veteran, he had moved around the country and experienced different ways of life. The difference between the West and East Coast was eye-opening.

His new home state did not recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid state holiday.

“When I first came to South Carolina, I was in eighth grade and it kind of bothered me that I had to learn South Carolina's history,” he explained. “I'm a kid that grew up all over the world, and coming from California where people were so liberal and you're around everybody, you do everything, it wasn't much of a stick-to-your-own-type-mentality. And when I got down there, it just sat wrong in my heart, in my mind just knowing, OK, now you've got to learn about the history of this country in the South that was so racist.”

Allen attended Hillcrest High School in Dalzell. During that time, he worked toward a future in the NBA while being surrounded by constant reminders of the past. He began to question what he was taught and developed his own opinions. This prepared him for life as an adult at the same time that he prepared for life as a pro.

“The neighborhood that I lived in still had plantation homes that were still standing and still represented a past on the backs of slaves,” he said. “It always struck me as odd and uncomfortable. So, you just always learn for yourself, trying to figure out what's good for you. Like, how do you navigate through these waters and make sure that wherever you are, you make it the best you can for the people around you.”

South Carolina became the last state to recognize Martin Luther King Day as a paid holiday for all state employees in 2000. Ten years later, Allen took the court on national TV to play on a day celebrating a history he always believed in.

“It's a great day for the history, not only for black people, but for the entire country,” he said. “So, I appreciate at least being able to play basketball because I wouldn't be, just being able to play basketball and make the money that I make. It was a struggle just being able to live and eat.”