The Memphis Grizzlies will retire guard Tony Allen’s No. 9 jersey on March 15, the team announced Tuesday. Allen’s number is scheduled be raised to the FedExForum rafters following a game against the Miami Heat.
Memphis Grizzlies legend Tony Allen is the third player in franchise history to have his jersey retired
The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a Commemorative Vinyl Record, produced locally in partnership with Memphis Record Pressing. Memorable plays, moments, and interviews from Allen’s Grizzlies career will be shown.
Allen, 42, is the third Grizzlies player to have his jersey retired, joining Zach Randolph (No. 50) and Marc Gasol (No. 33). Allen played seven seasons in Memphis (2010-17) and embodied the franchise’s “Grit and Grind” era.
Furthermore, Allen made the NBA All-Defensive team six times in that span and helped Memphis reach the playoffs all seven seasons, including a trip to the 2013 Western Conference finals.
In 462 NBA regular-season games (359 starts) with the Grizzlies, he averaged 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 22 minutes per contest while shooting 47.4% from the field, 26.9% from 3-point range, and 69.5% at the free throw line.
Additionally, Allen emerged as one of the league’s top perimeter defenders in his first season with Memphis. In the 2010-11 season, he averaged 1.79 steals and helped the Grizzlies lead the NBA in steals (771) and forced turnovers (1,367).
Allen finished fourth in voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year in his first season with Memphis
Allen was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2010-11, marking his first career selection. Plus, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard finished fourth in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year.
He averaged 4.14 steals per 48 minutes, the highest rate by an NBA player since Nate McMillan in 1993-94.
Also, Allen ranks second in franchise history in steals (762), sixth in games (462), and 10th in blocked shots (217). The Chicago native averaged a career-high 5.5 rebounds per game with Memphis in 2016-17.
In 820 career NBA regular-season games (441 starts), Allen averaged 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals with the Boston Celtics (2004-10), Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans (2017-18).
Allen, who was the Celtics’ 25th overall pick in the 2004 draft, won an NBA championship with Boston in 2007-08. With the Celtics, he scored a career-high 30 points against the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 15, 2006.
Full details for the jersey retirement ceremony will be announced at a later date. Tickets for the Heat-Grizzlies game are available for purchase online at www.nba.com/grizzlies/tickets.
