In a 2018 appearance with BodyArmor, NBA legend Kobe Bryant praised Tony Allen as the toughest defender he 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.”

In NBA history, few rivalries match the intensity of the Lakers and Celtics. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant faced Tony Allen in several memorable NBA Finals matchups. The most notable occurred in 2008 when the Lakers fell to the Celtics. However, the Lakers avenged this loss in 2010, reclaiming their glory. Kobe’s recognition of Tony’s skills highlights his status as a top defender in league history.

Defensive players often lack recognition, as their crucial contributions do not always show in statistics. Tony Allen exemplifies this reality. Throughout his career, he played 820 games and averaged 8.1 points. Yet, his impact stretched far beyond scoring. His dedication and defensive prowess earned him six All-Defensive Team honors.

Tony Allen was nearly in tears after receiving an impressive gift from Kobe Bryant

During the 2015–16 season, 34-year-old Tony Allen showed relentless tenacity with the Memphis Grizzlies. He finished eighth in Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) voting. He also earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Team. However, he could not face the Los Angeles Lakers on February 25, 2016, due to injury. Although he missed the game, Kobe Bryant still had a thoughtful surprise waiting for him.

Tony had asked Kobe for a jersey a few weeks before the matchup but received nothing. Consequently, he thought the Lakers legend had forgotten it. Instead, Tony encountered an even better surprise. A Lakers ball boy approached him with the ‘white Nike Kobe 11.’ The shoes bore an inscription: “To Tony, the best defender I faced.”

The Grizzlies veteran confessed he had to keep his composure at the stunning surprise. “I damn near teared up. I had to fight it. It meant everything. Because I would wake up in the morning thinking about guarding Kobe. I dreamed about guarding Kobe. I would never stop thinking about guarding him. And this was him showing respect. I couldn’t believe it,” Tony Allen said, as reported by Bleacher Report.

During his podcast, The Draymond Show, Green engaged with fans in a lively Q&A session. When asked to name his top five defenders in NBA history, his response sparked considerable discussion. “My top five in no particular order is myself, Ben Wallace, Tony Allen, Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon,“ he expressed.

Despite the Warriors’ veteran showing deep respect for legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, he left them off his list. He explained that he never saw them play. Relying only on statistics, he said, does not fully capture a player’s greatness. He added that watching someone play offers a better sense of their true impact.

Tim Duncan’s selection sparked little debate among NBA fans. The San Antonio Spurs legend is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in league history. A two-time MVP and 15-time All-Defensive Team selection, Duncan built a legacy as one of the most fundamentally sound and dominant big men to ever play the game.

Ben Wallace’s case was very different. Many fans disagreed with his inclusion, as they mostly saw him as a physical enforcer. However, Wallace won four Defensive Player of the Year awards. That success placed him among the most dominant defenders of his era. Despite the controversy, he became a game-changer for the Detroit Pistons.

Hakeem Olajuwon, like Duncan, drew little criticism. Fans remember ‘The Dream’ as a player ahead of his time, effortlessly blending size, skill, and finesse. He led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1993–94 and 1994–95, earning Finals MVP honors both years while showcasing one of the most refined post games the league has ever seen.

Tony Allen holds a special place in league history. Over 14 years, he played in 820 NBA games. He became a role model for modern defenders. Many players studied his defensive intensity and discipline. Even Kobe Bryant once called him the toughest defender he ever faced, during a BodyArmor press conference.

Appearing on the Knuckleheads podcast with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles, Allen didn’t hesitate when asked to build his dream lineup from his former teammates. “We going KG, we going Z-Bo… We got to go Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce, bro,” Allen said.

The lineup—Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Zach Randolph, and Kevin Garnett—is more than just star-studded. It’s a testament to toughness, high basketball IQ, and relentless two-way effort.

Defensive identity: a lineup built on toughness

Allen’s picks reflect a clear theme: defensive grit and leadership. Garnett’s elite rim protection and commanding presence anchored every team he played on, while Rondo’s uncanny instincts and quick hands made him one of the league’s best perimeter defenders. Pierce offered clutch shot-making and strong wing defense, and Randolph controlled the post with physicality and old-school toughness. Allen, the lineup’s defensive glue, consistently drew the league’s toughest assignments and thrived in the challenge.

Notable omissions: big names left off

Despite building a formidable five, Allen left out several high-profile former teammates. Ray Allen, whose sharpshooting played a vital role in Boston’s 2008 title run, was notably absent. So was Marc Gasol, the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year who anchored the Grizzlies’ paint during their peak years. Even Mike Conley, Memphis’ longtime floor general and an underrated two-way guard, was passed over in favor of Rondo’s disruptive brilliance.

Allen’s vision: defense over everything

More than a highlight reel of big names, Allen’s selections double down on a personal philosophy: defense wins. He prioritized effort, accountability, and physicality over flash. While some omissions may spark debate, this NBA starting five represents the hard-nosed, no-shortcuts approach that defined Allen’s career. These aren’t just former teammates—they’re players who matched his relentless energy and helped define an era of gritty, grind-it-out basketball that still resonates with fans today.

“Dray my boy, he locks stuff up, and he do a lot of stuff on the court, man,” Tony Allen began during a recent interview on Run It Back. “He’s like one of those, man I don’t know football that well, but he’s like a safety. He get everybody in the right place, being on the backside of the defense.”

When asked about the Warriors forward’s chances of winning the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time in his career, Allen was straightforward. “Draymond, you know, he’s gonna politic himself. He knows he gotta put himself in the name for that,” he explained.

However, the 2008 NBA champion then made a candid admission about Green. “I wouldn’t have him as my favorite. My favorite is the guy from Atlanta,” Tony said, referring to Hawks player Dyson Daniels. “You know me, I’m always being favorable to the guards, man.”

Tony Allen praises Dyson Daniels

Allen then elaborated on why Daniels is his favorite defensive player in the NBA right now. “I like Dyson. He’s all over the court, man. He’s in the passing lane. I’ve been watching him, too,” the former Celtics star explained. “When bigs get that ball on that mid-post and they turn their head, he sprint from that corner, ripping those from behind.”

Finally, Tony added: “I like his game. And he’s up for the challenge. I done seen him come down here in Memphis and get a key stop for a game-winner with (Caris) LeVert. I was actually at that game. I’m like, ‘This boy can really play defense.‘”

Daniels vs. Green in numbers

Dyson Daniels currently leads the NBA in steals, averaging 3.1 steals per game, with the closest competitor being Dejounte Murray of the New Orleans Pelicans at 2.0. Draymond Green ranks 31st in that category, with 1.4. In total steals, Daniels has 202 steals this season, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the closest player, has 120.

Green surpasses Daniels in other statistical categories, such as blocks (Draymond averages 1.1 per game, while Dyson averages 0.7) and defensive rebounds (Green with 5.0, Daniels with 4.1), but it is clear that the numbers alone won’t define the award. The impact each player has on the court with their respective teams will also weigh heavily in the decision.

In a recent interview on the Out The Mud Podcast with Tony Allen, Durant opened up about his admiration for Allen’s defensive prowess. “I wasn’t relaxed playing against you, for sure,” Kevin admitted. “I feel like you’re the best defender that I played against in my career… I talk basketball with all types of people and I tell them every time, ‘No (expletive) TA’s the hardest guy to go against,’ strictly for the fact that you can’t get a screen. The physical aspects on top of it.”

Durant highlighted the qualities that made Allen such a formidable defender. “A lot of people talk about your heart and your mentality but let’s talk about the technique too which is important as a defender.” Durant explained. “You skinny up, you don’t get by screens. When you do get hit you keep pursuing the screen, you use your hands well. You play like a lockdown corner.”

Tony Allen, who played 14 seasons in the NBA, was known for his suffocating defense. He began his career with the Boston Celtics in 2004, earning a championship in 2008, before moving to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he became a key figure. He finished his career with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018. Allen was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team three times and the Second Team three times, accolades that validate Durant’s high praise.

“I had to be on point with everything I did,” Durant recalled of their matchups. “Detail-wise, catching the ball, my angles, where my foot was, where my jump shot was. So no, I wasn’t relaxed, bro. I was locked in, trying to be the best I could every possession.”

Allen compared to other defensive greats

Durant also offered insight into how Allen compares to other elite defenders in the NBA. “Somebody asked me the difference between you and Draymond (Green), because I played with Draymond and had a lot of battles against you,” he said.

Then the Phoenix Suns star drew a comparison to two legendary NFL players. “I saw Draymond kind of like Ed Reed, where he’s a safety. He’s going to be guarding every play and you know he’s behind that defense,” Durant said. “It’s more like Darrelle Revis, Deion (Sanders) where you’re going to follow that guy all the time.”

Durant then shared a personal reflection. “Even though Jerry Rice had a tough matchup against Deion, he knew in his mind that Deion had a good game. He had to bring out his best and that’s how I felt when I played against you,” Kevin said, further underscoring Allen’s defensive mastery.

Durant’s performance against Allen

Over their 10-plus years in the NBA, Durant and Allen squared off 24 times in the regular season, with the two evenly splitting the series 12-12. However, Durant had the upper hand in their playoff matchups, winning two out of three.

Individually, Durant put up solid numbers against Allen: 26.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Despite these impressive stats, Durant’s scoring and assist averages against Allen were slightly below his career norms, signaling just how much of a challenge Allen presented on the defensive end.

Darius Miles, Tony Allen, Glen Davis, Sebastian Telfair, Terrence Williams, Alan Anderson, Anthony Allen, Shannon Brown, WillBynum, Christopher Douglas-Roberts, Melvin Ely, Jamario Moon, Milton Palacio, Ruben Patterson, Eddie Robinson, Gregory Smith, Charles Watson Jr., Antoine Wright and Tony Wroten are the players in question.

As of now, it’s not known what kind of punishment, fine, or sentence the former players could be looking up to. But it seems like this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding this terrible scandal.

NBA Fraud: Terrence Williams Orchestrated The Plan:

(Transcript via ABCNews)

The indictment alleges Williams orchestrated the plan.

“Williams recruited other plan participants to defraud the plan by offering to supply them with false invoices to support their false and fraudulent claims to the plan in exchange for the payment kickbacks to Williams,” the indictment said.

The indictment also alleges that Williams impersonated an individual who processed the plan’s claims. Williams, the indictment said, received $230,000 in kickbacks from the other defendants for his role.”

What’s The NBA’s Health And Welfare Benefit Plan?

“The NBA Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan (the “Plan”) provides you with a health
reimbursement account benefit (the “HRA Benefit”). The benefit provides you with contributions into a health reimbursement account (“HRA”). Subject to Plan rules, amounts in your HRA can be used to reimburse eligible healthcare expenses incurred by you and your family both during and after your NBA playing career. It is important to understand that there are conditions on when you may use your HRA Benefit and that not every health-related expense qualifies for reimbursement,” reads the NBA Players Association’s pamplhet.

For years, players have fought for their rights and they want to add more coverage and benefits for former and current NBA players, so this incident couldn’t have come at a worst time.