Tony Allen may never have won Defensive Player of the Year, but very few players in modern NBA history have as much respect as a defender as he does. Legendary players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant Both called Allen the toughest defender they’ve ever faced in their careers. That respect is also mutual.
“He was the only one who didn’t scream for help.” 😂
Kobe says Tony Allen (by far) was the toughest defender he ever faced. Respect. pic.twitter.com/q1FPdCT1wC
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 9, 2018
During a recent interview on The Chris Vernon Show, Tony Allen revealed how difficult it was to defend Kevin Durant in his prime. In Allen’s own words, there was no way to defend Kevin Durant once he started pushing you back for a jump shot.
“Once he turns his back and pulls you back, the jump shot is there,” Allen said. “You don’t block him. If you get up, he’s about 7 or 8 inches on the pull-up. When he pushes, he’s definitely going to get penalized because he’s fragile and if you get too physical, it’s like, ‘Hey, ref, this is my move, I have this freedom of space.’ He was tough on the pick-and-roll, because if you go under it, it’s like a layup.”
Many consider Kevin Durant to be one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. His size and skill make him a surefire defender for almost every player in the league. More often than not, Kevin Durant is having a bad game than he gets stopped. No one can tell you that better than Memphis Grizzlies legend Tony Allen.
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