Tony Allen doesn’t miss taking part in for Alvin Gentry and the Pelicans — not even a bit of bit.
Allen, whose NBA profession spanned from 2005-18, joined “The Chris Vernon Present” on the Grizzlies’ Grind Metropolis Media community on Tuesday and laid waste to his time with the Pelicans throughout the 2017-18 season.
“Yeah, he was one of many worst coaches on the earth,” Allen mentioned, referring to Gentry.
“He was previous, man. [He used to] overlook speeches like, ‘Fellas, now after we … What they doing improper?’ He be like, ‘Fellas, all of us received a rebound and uh … What else they did? Oh yeah, get again in transition,” Allen recalled.
The Pelicans are owned by the Benson household, who additionally personal the Saints, and Allen talked about how the Pelicans have been a transparent second fiddle.
“Generally we had observe on the soccer discipline. We capturing baskets within the aim [post]… Regardless of the Saints didn’t eat, we received the leftovers. Shoutout to the Pelicans. That’s the worst group,” he mentioned.
Allen began his profession with the Celtics and gained an amazing affinity with the Grizzlies fan base as a defensive stopper.
In seven seasons in Memphis, Allen made the NBA’s all-defensive crew six occasions.
In a 2018 interview, Kobe Bryant answered with out hesitation that Allen was the perfect defender he ever confronted in his prolific NBA profession.
“Tony Allen, that’s straightforward, it was Tony Allen,” Bryant mentioned.
“He was the one one which wasn’t crying for assist, he was by no means crying for assist, saying, ‘Hey, assist down right here, I need assistance, double, double’. Tony Allen would play you straight up, I may rating 10 straight on him, and he’s not blinking. He’s nonetheless there, he’s nonetheless taking part in protection, he’s nonetheless being bodily, he’s not backing down. Tony Allen, by far. I might used to complete taking part in towards Tony Allen and I had scratch marks all over the place and I beloved it.”
Final month, the Grizzlies introduced that they are going to be retiring Allen’s No. 9 earlier than they face the Warmth on March 15, 2025.
