Greatest unsung hero in every NBA team’s history

Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Allen

No player better personified the Memphis Grizzlies’ “Grit and Grind” style of basketball more than Tony Allen. Unless you’re the sort of basketball fan that enjoys watching hard-nosed perimeter defense instead of, say, blocks and dunks, then Allen was probably your guy.

Allen came to the Grizzlies as a free agent prior to the 2010-11 season. He played a significant role in shaping the identity that the organization still clings to now.

Allen wasn’t an offensive threat by any means. He couldn’t beat people off the dribble and he couldn’t space the floor. However, he was productive enough as an off-ball slasher to offset what made him truly valuable to those Memphis teams: his defense.

Allen was often tasked with defending the opposing team’s best player. He often was up to the challenge. Through a combination of tenacity, activity and athleticism, Allen established himself and one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA. The analytics back up that lofty assertion. Of the 26.3 win shares Allen racked up with the Grizzlies, 19.4 were of the defensive variety.

Unfortunately for Allen, his underwhelming offensive game caught up to him as time went on. Teams would opt to put their worst defensive player on him, knowing that there was no chance that the decision would come back to bite them. That combined with his physical decline pretty much spelled the end for Allen as a valued NBA player.

Still, six Defensive All-NBA selections don’t lie. Allen held his own guarding some of the best players in the league. His workman-like approach to playing basketball has made him a regional legend in Memphis.