“You know, Tony Allen is crazy” - Hassan Whiteside speaks about the Memphis legend

Tony Allen was a culture-setter for the Memphis Grizzlies because he lived up to being the “Grindfather.” Anyone who played with him could attest to his hard work behind the scenes and how he encouraged everyone else to work harder than expected.

One of the players who experienced that was Hassan Whiteside. The center spent the 2014 preseason with the Grizzlies, which helped him get interactions with Allen. This was when the big man from Marshall University was still bouncing around the league as a journeyman.

“I had to work out with the Grizzlies. Shout out to Z-Bo, that’s my guy. Z-Bo and Tony Allen, to this day, they’re still my guys. They always show love, they always encourage me,” Whiteside said on The OGs Show. “You know, that Grit and Grind. You know, Tony Allen is crazy, man. He’d call me at 3am, I’m in the bed with my girl like man, I’m asleep. He said, ‘Tell her wake up, Grit and Grind, let’s get it!’”, Whiteside shared a couple of day ago on the OGs Show .

Allen showed Grit and Grind was more than just a play style

Allen was a bundle of energy, as he never got tired of chasing his matchup around. He defended his opponents across the entire 94-foot basketball court in every possession. Tony was the heart and soul of the Grit and Grind Grizzlies, which was evident because he motivated the rest of the team to follow his lead.

The Grindfather might not have been the best offensive player, but he was the most reliable perimeter player when defending the opponent’s best player. He stepped up to the plate and took on the toughest matchup, as he loved matching up with star players like Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Also, the late great Kobe Bryant once mentioned that Allen was the toughest defender to ever guard him, and it's tough to find a better compliment than that.

Allen was not just an elite defender, as he also displayed a strong mentality. No one was too good for him to defend. He loved it when guarding the star players because it was a tough yet fun challenge.

Whiteside became a better defender after a short Grizzlies stint

While Hassan never joined the regular season Grizzlies roster, he benefited from working with Allen. After he got waived by the Grizzlies, he found his way to the Miami Heat, where he would break out as a starting center.

He was mostly known for his defensive prowess, as he was a shot-blocking machine. Whiteside peaked during the 2015/16 season when he led the league with 3.7 blocks per game. Hassan’s defensive activity was surprising, but when he said he worked with Allen and Zach Randolph, it was easy to see why he became more active on defense.

Tony and the rest of the Grit and Grind’s influence goes beyond the Grizzlies roster. Even a player like Whiteside loved working with Allen, as the two-time NBA blocks leader became a stronger and more talented defender.

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