Tony Allen was among the most hard-nosed defenders we've ever seen play in the NBA. The Grindfather was the heart of the Grit and Grind era in Memphis. Not only was T.A. known for his defense, but he was also considered one of the realest dudes by his peers.
Therefore, it was somewhat out of Allen's character when he mocked Alvin Gentry and the New Orleans Pelicans during his appearance on The Chris Vernon Show. Although he and the show's hosts were laughing well about his revelations, Allen trashed his former head coach and even the Pelicans organization.
"He was one of the worst coaches in the world…Cuz he wasn't drawing up no plays," said Allen. "He was old, man. He forgetting speeches. He'd be like 'Fellas, we all got a rebound and uh…what else they did?' He was one of those type of coaches. 'All right, team on three… what's the name of the team? One, two, three….what? Oh yeah, Pelicans."
The Grindfather finished his career in New Orleans
Allen was the Boston Celtics' 24th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft and quickly became an integral part of the team. He played six seasons in Boston and helped the team win the 2008 NBA championship. He then moved to the Memphis Grizzlies, where his identity as the Grandfather took a life of its own.
But in 2017, T.A. signed with the New Orleans Pelicans, and his tenure there was a somewhat forgettable experience. He ended up playing just 22 games and averaged 12.4 minutes per game under Gentry, which may be why he went off on his former coach. He also labeled the Pelicans, who have the same owner as the NFL's Saints, as a second-class team in the city.
"Sometimes we had practice on the football field," added Allen. "We shooting baskets in the goal [post]... Whatever the Saints didn't eat, we got the leftovers. Shoutout to the Pelicans. That's the worst organization," he added.
He wasn't crying for help
Although he never won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, Allen was a six-time member of the league's All-Defensive team, including three in the first team. However, perhaps his biggest accolade was when the late Kobe Bryant called him the best defender he had ever faced.
"He was the only one that wasn't crying for help, he was never crying for help, saying, 'Hey, help down here, I need help, double, double'. Tony Allen would play you straight up, I could score 10 straight on him, and he's not blinking. He's still there, he's still playing defense, he's still being physical, he's not backing down. Tony Allen, by far. I would used to finish playing against Tony Allen, and I had scratch marks everywhere and I loved it," Bryant said .
Kobe's statement is a testament to how well-respected Allen was in the league. However, he probably wasn't happy with how his career ended in the Big Easy and just wanted to make a good laugh out of it - at Gentry's expense.
Related: "Get your rest, get a good meal, and be ready for a dog fight" - Tony Allen explains what made the Grit' N' Grind Grizzlies starting lineup so good
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