He warned The Athletic that he did not want to cause his legal troubles. For having participated in the massive fraud of the NBA health insurance system, Tony Allen was ordered to repay $420,000 and receive three years of probation. “I did not respect our fundamental values” he said at the bar.
A year later, Tony Allen is trying to make amends, and the Grizzlies gave him the greatest gift of all: the retirement of his jersey next season. It's unexpected for a “role player”, but the former Memphis defender best embodied this “Grit & Grind” spirit of the time.
Every basketball player's dream
It was he who even invented the expression on the night of a match against the Thunder of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Initially, it was a remark aimed at Rudy Gay, who did not want to play the match because of a toe problem. It has become the slogan and identity of a franchise!
“Honestly, it’s a dream come true. It’s every basketball player’s dream and I’m very grateful for it.” he reacted. “A big tip of the hat to the Grizzlies who have always supported me. They welcomed me. They recognized that I was right with my phrase “Grit & Grind,” and it will be remembered forever. Now we're going to retire the number 9 jersey, and I'll be a Grizzly forever. »
A strong identity
But where did this expression come from? Did that sum up his personal journey, or the identity of the team?
” It is a whole. There is the personal aspect, in terms of the way in which I had to hang on. The work I had to do, the guys I had to face, the fact that I considered myself among the Top 10 at the time. My mindset was to seek and destroy, it’s always been like that. Even when I was in college, I was trying to be player of the year, fighting to get drafted in the first round. Surpassing and perseverance, the mentality of doing things and changing them.”
Then there are the Grizzlies, and this city of Memphis. It was the perfect union. “For the identity, it was my preparation before the matches, the way I train, coming in at night, taking shots, doing extra physical preparation, just to be ready to challenge the best. It was a good fit for the organization and the city, because it’s a blue-collar city. You have to work to get anything. Not playing a lot, and taking advantage of the slightest opening to be on the field so that the coach believes in me and that I am a strong point to be counted on. Grit & Grind therefore corresponds to my identity and my personality. »
| Tony Allen | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2004-05 | BOS | 77 | 16 | 47.5 | 38.7 | 73.7 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 6.4 |
| 2005-06 | BOS | 51 | 19 | 47.1 | 32.4 | 74.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 7.2 |
| 2006-07 | BOS | 33 | 24 | 51.4 | 24.2 | 78.4 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 11.5 |
| 2007-08 | BOS | 75 | 18 | 43.4 | 31.6 | 76.2 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 6.6 |
| 2008-09 | BOS | 46 | 19 | 48.2 | 22.2 | 72.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 7.8 |
| 2009-10 | BOS | 54 | 17 | 51.0 | 0.0 | 60.5 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 6.1 |
| 2010-11 | SAME | 72 | 21 | 51.0 | 17.4 | 75.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 8.9 |
| 2011-12 | SAME | 58 | 26 | 46.9 | 30.8 | 80.0 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 9.8 |
| 2012-13 | SAME | 79 | 27 | 44.5 | 12.5 | 71.7 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 8.9 |
| 2013-14 | SAME | 55 | 23 | 49.4 | 23.4 | 62.8 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 9.0 |
| 2014-15 | SAME | 63 | 26 | 49.5 | 34.5 | 62.7 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 8.6 |
| 2015-16 | SAME | 64 | 25 | 45.8 | 35.7 | 65.2 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 8.4 |
| 2016-17 | SAME | 71 | 27 | 46.1 | 27.8 | 61.5 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 9.1 |
| 2017-18 | NOP | 22 | 12 | 48.4 | 33.3 | 52.4 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 4.7 |
| Total | 820 | 22 | 47.5 | 28.2 | 70.9 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 8.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
