Tony Allen (basketball) facts for kids
Allen with the Boston Celtics in 2008
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1982 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Crane (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 213 lb (97 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25th overall |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Pro career | 2004–2018 |
| Career history | |
| 2004–2010 | Boston Celtics |
| 2010–2017 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2017–2018 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,654 (8.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,884 (3.5 rpg) |
| Steals | 1,158 (1.4 spg) |
Anthony Allen (born January 11, 1982) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is best known for his time with the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies. People called him "the Grindfather" because of his tough play.
Tony Allen was a six-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. This means he was one of the best defenders in the league. He won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. He was famous for making it very hard for opposing players to score. Many consider him one of the greatest defenders in NBA history.
Contents
- Tony Allen's College Basketball Journey
- Tony Allen's Professional Basketball Career
- Tony Allen's Player Profile
- Tony Allen's Personal Life
- Images for kids
- See also
Tony Allen's College Basketball Journey
Playing at Junior Colleges (2000–2002)
Tony Allen went to Crane High School in Chicago. There, he played basketball with Will Bynum, who also became an NBA player. In his first year of college, 2000–01, Allen played for Butler County Community College. He averaged 16.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game. He was named Second Team All-Jayhawk West Conference. He also earned the Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year award.
In his second year, Allen played for Wabash Valley College. He averaged 14.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. He helped Wabash Valley achieve a great 32–6 record. They finished fourth at the NJCAA Championships.
Time at Oklahoma State (2002–2004)
For his junior year, Allen moved to Oklahoma State University. In the 2002–03 season, he averaged 14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. He was recognized as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
As a senior in 2003–04, Allen was the top scorer for Oklahoma State, averaging 16 points. He led the team to the 2004 NCAA Final Four. In their Final Four game against Georgia Tech, he scored 13 points. He was named Big 12 Player of the Year. He also received an Honorable Mention All-America award. By the end of this season, Allen was the first player in Oklahoma State history to score over 1,000 points in just two seasons.
Tony Allen's Professional Basketball Career
Starting with the Boston Celtics (2004–2010)
The Boston Celtics picked Tony Allen in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft. He was the 25th player chosen. He signed with the Celtics on July 3, 2004. In his first season (2004–05), he played in 77 games. He averaged 6.4 points and 2.9 rebounds. He scored 20 points in his first game as a starter on January 22, 2005. He also played in the Rookie Challenge during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend.
In his second season, Allen averaged 7.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. He scored a season-high 23 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his third season, 2006–07, Allen had his best scoring year with the Celtics. He averaged 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. On December 15, 2006, he scored a career-high 30 points against the Denver Nuggets. However, on January 10, 2007, he suffered a serious knee injury. This injury ended his season early.
Allen recovered and was ready for the 2007–08 season. He averaged 6.6 points and 2.2 rebounds. He played a big part in the Celtics' successful playoff run. They reached the 2008 NBA Finals and won the 2008 NBA Championship. They defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
In July 2008, Allen signed a new two-year contract with the Celtics. In his fifth season, he averaged 7.8 points and 2.3 rebounds. During the 2009–10 season, Allen was a key defensive player for the Celtics. He averaged 6.1 points and 2.7 rebounds. He recorded his first career "double-double" (10 points and 10 rebounds) on December 27, 2009. The Celtics made it to the 2010 NBA Finals again. However, they lost to the Lakers in a close seven-game series.
Becoming a Memphis Grizzlies Star (2010–2017)
2010–11 Season: A Defensive Leader
On July 13, 2010, Allen signed a three-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. He quickly became one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He averaged 1.79 steals per game. He helped the Grizzlies lead the NBA in steals. He was named to the 2010–11 NBA All-Defensive Second Team. This was his first time receiving this honor. He also finished fourth in voting for Defensive Player of the Year. He helped the Grizzlies reach the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time ever.
2011–12 Season: First Team All-Defense
In the 2011–12 season, Allen averaged 9.8 points and 4.0 rebounds. On April 23, 2012, he set a career high with 8 steals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was also a Grizzlies team record. He was named to the 2011–12 NBA All-Defensive First Team. He was fifth in the NBA in steals per game. NBA general managers voted him the best perimeter defender in the league.
2012–13 Season: More Defensive Honors
In the 2012–13 season, Allen received the most votes for the NBA All-Defensive teams. This was his second straight First Team All-Defense honor. He averaged a career-high 4.6 rebounds and 1.51 steals. He played in a career-high 79 games, starting all of them. In the 2013 playoffs, Allen had career highs in points (10.3) and rebounds (6.1). He helped Memphis reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.
2013–14 Season: Re-signing with Memphis
On July 15, 2013, Allen signed a new four-year contract with the Grizzlies. He averaged 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.64 steals. He missed 27 games due to injuries or illness. The Grizzlies made the playoffs as the seventh seed. They faced the Oklahoma City Thunder. Allen had 10 offensive rebounds in one game. The Grizzlies were eventually eliminated by the Thunder in seven games.
2014–15 Season: Still a Defensive Star
In the 2014–15 season, Allen continued to be a strong defender. He often guarded the best offensive players on other teams. He made his third NBA All-Defensive First Team. He ranked fourth in the league in steals per game (2.0). He was the only player that season to have at least three games with six or more steals.
2015–16 Season: Fifth All-Defensive Selection
In May 2016, Allen was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. This was his fifth All-Defensive selection in six seasons with the Grizzlies. He averaged 8.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.72 steals. He was tied for the NBA lead in steals per 48 minutes. The Grizzlies' defense was much better when Allen was on the court.
2016–17 Season: Six-Time All-Defense
On June 26, 2017, Allen was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team again. This was his sixth All-Defensive selection. He played in 71 games, averaging 9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.62 steals. He led the league in steal percentage. On October 12, 2017, the Grizzlies announced they would retire Allen's No. 9 jersey. This means no other Grizzlies player will wear that number.
Short Time with the New Orleans Pelicans (2017–2018)
On September 15, 2017, Allen signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. On November 1, 2017, he scored a season-high 10 points. On December 10, 2017, he suffered a fractured left fibula, which is a bone in the lower leg. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls on February 1, 2018. However, the Bulls waived him eight days later, meaning he did not play any games for them.
Tony Allen's Player Profile
Tony Allen is 6 feet 4 inches tall (1.93 m) and weighs 213 pounds (97 kg). He played as a shooting guard and small forward. He was known as an amazing, all-around defender. He was often given the job of guarding the best offensive players on the other team. He made it very difficult for them to score. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team six times between 2010 and 2017.
On February 26, 2016, Kobe Bryant gave Allen an autographed pair of shoes. The message on the shoes read, "To Tony, the best defender I ever faced!" This shows how much respect other players had for his defense.
When he played for the Boston Celtics, his teammates called him "Gucci." With the Grizzlies, he earned the nickname "Grindfather."
Tony Allen's Personal Life
Tony Allen's mother is Ella Allen. He has two sisters, Ebony and Dominique, and a brother, Ryan. Ryan also played basketball in college.
In October 2021, Tony Allen faced legal issues. He was accused of trying to get money unfairly from the NBA's health plan. He paid back most of the money he was accused of taking. Because of this, he received three years of probation and community service. This legal issue caused a delay in the Memphis Grizzlies retiring his No. 9 jersey. It is now planned to be retired on March 15, 2025.
Images for kids
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Allen with the Boston Celtics in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Tony Allen para niños
