Ray Allen is one of the greatest NBA players of his generation, with a shooting stroke that was oh so sweet to watch and accolades galore.

Allen is the NBA's all-time leader in three-point field goals made, cashing in on 2973 makes from beyond the arc while maintaining a 40 percent shooting average. That's the kind of talent and skill that ages like fine wine in the NBA, and why Allen played until he was nearly 39. 

Once he called it quits, he called it quits, unlike several veteran players who've made mid-season comebacks if a title contender puts in a call. Allen revealed why he never found his way back to the court after losing in the 2014 NBA finals with the Miami Heat.

It seems Allen wasn't offered the kind of role he would have preferred in his advanced age, with teams more interested in him helping mentor younger players as opposed to helping established players get over the hump, he revealed in an interview on ESPN's "The Jump."

"Most of the inquiries I have received were how ready am I to accept my role as a veteran and sit on the bench and mentor the young guys. I'd love to do that, it comes naturally to me, but I do want to play," Allen said.

"I want to be able to come on the floor and earn whatever minutes I may have gotten. I didn't know if that was possible, so I didn't want to be sitting on a team and say, 'What did I get myself into?'"

That makes sense, as many high-profile players who retire aren't interested in coming in to serve as a bench voice. Allen in his prime would be perfect in today's NBA, and if he was just a bit younger, it's easy to envision him thriving as a veteran contributor for a title contender.

Allen definitely sounds like he enjoys the rapid pace teams are playing with in the "modern" NBA, where three-pointers are the new mid-range jumper.

"It's fun to watch because it's not just Golden State, it's not just Cleveland. You see Toronto playing that way, you see Phoenix playing that way, Milwaukee and so many other teams playing that way. The 3-point line has become a huge premium and bigs shoot the three now.

"The game has certainly evolved. I do envy it, it looks fun and I could definitely play in it." 

There's absolutely no doubt about Allen being a player who would thrive in the current NBA