Coming in at number four on our ‘Greatest Memphis Grizzlies Of All-Time’ list is a guy who will be in the rafters of FedEx Forum when his career concludes.
Arguably one of the biggest molds of the Memphis Grizzlies “core four” during the Grizzlies seven straight NBA Playoff appearances, Tony “GrindFather” Allen soars into our Greatest Memphis Grizzlies list.
People outside of Memphis know Tony Allen just as one of the best perimeter defenders of his era. Allen in the city of Memphis is forever the “Grindfather,” and when it is all said and done, his jersey will rest in the rafters of the “Grind House” on 191 Beale Street.
Allen was the human emotion put into the game of basketball. Every steal or forced deflection that resulted in his opponent turning the ball over, there came the finger point to the Grizzlies’ side of the court.
The Grindfather was always the first person to let you know that he was “First Team All-Defense!” Allen was indeed named to the NBA All-Defensive team six times and three of which he was first-team defense, and all six of those years Allen was a Memphis Grizzly.
The video above went viral only because Memphis was on national TV, and the national crowd did not understand that Allen demanded that of himself every night. First-team all-defense was his expectation from a personal level, and all of that yelling to the cameras, well, Tony liked to hype himself up.
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Allen played a huge role in Memphis’ style of play during their seven year playoff streak. Whether you like it or not, Memphis would not be the same team or have the history without the Grindfather throughout those seven seasons.
Forming a strong relationship with the city is step one to growing as a franchise. Having a franchise that embodies Allen’s style of play through out the run will further the longevity of this franchise and the city of Memphis.
We even see it today with the Grizzlies “new era” that is not really all that new. Drafting a guy like Allen in Jevon Carter, who is defensive-minded for a wing, and adding a defensive-minded Head Coach in J.B. Bickerstaff.
Allen’s role during those seven seasons with the core four were pivotal then, and today we are seeing the lasting impact Allen had on this Grizzlies franchise.
Racking up defensive awards season after season, and being all-heart, and true to the city was what reinvented Allen’s career. When Allen made the choice to leave Boston after his first six seasons there, he made a choice to make a name for himself, and that he did.
Allen led the league in steals in the 2014-15 season and then ranked second in the following season. His last season in Beale Street Blue, Tony Allen finished that season yet again leading the league in steals for that season (2016-17).
I look back on games when nobody gave the Grizzlies a chance, and look at Allen’s attitude from the tip-off. Allen never second-guessed his chances, or the Memphis Grizzlies’ chances.
A good example is back in 2015 when the Memphis Grizzlies caught a case of the injury bug. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley were both out with season-ending injuries. The weight of the franchise was put on Allen and Lance Stephenson to carry the Grizzlies to the playoffs to continue their streak of playoff appearances.
The Grizzlies were heading towards the end of the season when Memphis traveled to Cleveland with only eight available players to take on the LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Allen layed into a very talented Cavaliers roster from the tip.
These guys are known to this day as the “hateful eight” and Allen lead the charge with that roster. 26 points, five steals, and just playing harder on both ends of the floor then his opponent was his key to success not only on that particular night, but from the moment he stepped into the league.
Tony Allen fit the bill as a cornerstone player for a franchise, and will get the perfect seat in the Grindhouse in a few years, but for now, Allen is number four in our all-time Memphis Grizzlies rankings.