13-05-2025
Tony Allen on how defense helped the Boston Celtics win it all in 2008
Tony Allen on how defense helped the Boston Celtics win it all in 2008
The Boston Celtics got a big boost for their 2008 NBA title from the lockdown defense of guard Tony Allen. The Grindfather had not yet built the iconic reputation he now has at that stage of his career, but even in those days, he was widely known as a matchup nightmare anywhere on the parquet.
The Boston alum sat down to tell the story of his path to the NBA from Oklahoma State to being picked up with the 25th overall pick of the 2004 NBA draft by the Celtics to the Ubuntu-era title and beyond to his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies. On an episode of the Players Tribune "Knuckleheads" podcast, Allen gave us the contours of an iconic career in the league, with plenty of stories you likely have not heard.
Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about the Grindfather's NBA journey.
