Tony Allen has long been considered one of the best one-on-one defenders in the NBA, and one of the game’s best all-time players recently paid him a huge compliment.
In an interview with TNT’s Ernie Johnson, Kobe Bryant was asked who came the closest to being “the Kobe-stopper” during the five-time champion’s career, which will end after this season.
Kobe says Tony Allen was the closest to becoming "The Kobe Stopper" that he ever faced https://t.co/3OU9Jq2olW
— Rob Perez (@World_Wide_Wob) December 4, 2015
“Individually, it was always Tony Allen,” Bryant said without hesitation. “Always.”
Allen has covered Kobe many times during his time with the Celtics and Grizzlies. As we know, there are very few people who could slow Bryant down before injuries and age derailed his career. Allen, who has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Ream three times, was one of those people.
Remember last season when Allen uncorked one of the greatest trash-talking chants ever after coming up with multiple steals? Kobe’s praise makes that moment that much better.
