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Grizzlies fans hype up Tony Allen in Michael Jordan debate

By Mark Nilon

CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 7: Tony Allen #9 of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on March 7, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Grizzlies defeated the Cavaliers 106-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 7: Tony Allen #9 of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on March 7, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Grizzlies defeated the Cavaliers 106-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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The “Grindfather,” Tony Allen, spent seven mesmerizing seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2010 through 2017. During this span, the wing established himself as one of the most menacing defensive talents in the association, earning three All-Defensive First Team and three All-Defensive Second Team honors along the way.

With these accolades, it goes without saying that Allen is one of the greatest Grizzlies players to grace the less glamorous side of the floor.

However, recently, fans have gone on to boast about his defensive efforts in an all-time high regard, as they nominated his name in the Twitter conversation about which one player in NBA history could successfully guard Michael Jordan in isolation.

A hyped-up Grizzlies fan went as far as to claim that Tony Allen would have zero problems keeping up with the likes of Jordan.

One Twitter user would go on to cite past praise from the late, great Kobe Bryant to defend Tony Allen’s inclusion in such a conversation.

On top of his All-Defensive selections, by the time his tenure came to an end with the Grizzlies Allen found himself sporting an otherworldly 101 defensive rating for his career in Memphis and a defensive plus-minus of +2.2.

Despite currently rostering a proven stalwart and the league’s latest Defensive Player of the Year award recipient in Jaren Jackson Jr., since Allen’s departure Grind City has yet to see a player come close to matching his level of ferocity on the defensive end, though many are looking to newly-acquired guard and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart as providing a similar fire.

Interestingly enough, he was also found included in the social media conversation.

Though Tony Allen’s NBA career began two years after Michael Jordan’s ended and, thus, such a matchup never took place, while he may not have been anywhere close to the overall star-type player, real ones know that the Grizzlies legend would have given the GOAT a tough time if such a square-off ever took place.

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