Once Left in Tears by Kobe Bryant, Ex NBA Star Makes Bold Claim About Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Back in the day, if you were a scorer in the NBA, the last guy you wanted guarding you was Tony Allen. Nicknamed the Grindfather, Allen had this grit about him—relentless, physical, and just straight-up unshakable. From 2011 to 2017, he stacked six All-Defensive Team nods, and it wasn’t by luck. Opponents dreaded matching up against him, and even the game’s elite had to bring their best. One of those was Kobe Bryant.

During a press conference, Kobe didn’t even hesitate when asked who the toughest defender he’d ever faced was. “Tony Allen, that’s easy, it was Tony Allen,” Bryant said. “He was the only one who 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.” And Kobe wasn’t done. “I could score 10 straight on him, and he’s not blinking… I would used to finish playing against Tony Allen, and I had scratch marks everywhere, and I loved it.”

Now fast forward to present day—Allen’s back in the spotlight, this time on Run It Back, and guess who’s on his radar? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. When asked how he’d guard the Thunder star, Allen didn’t flinch. “I’ve been saying it all along. I’d guard him just like how I would guard Kobe.” According to TA, there’s a familiar flair to Shai’s game. “He got all the moves that Kobe got, man. I’m pretty sure he studied this guy… a lot of what he does get to his spots, and that’s what Kobe did.”

Allen even broke down Kobe’s style to make his point. “Kobe would get into some razzle-dazzle… but most importantly, he made all his shots easy… he’d head fake, head fake, head fake, head fake. You know what I’m saying? Get his defender off balance, and I’ve been hit with that a few times.” That shoulder bump? That’s what made guarding Kobe a chess match.

So what about SGA’s twist on it? Allen’s ready. “But in his case, I think I would be really willingly ready for the brace to that bump and be able to have my feet strong enough and ready to contest or close out and get close to a shot.” And he’s not naive—he knows Shai’s going to score. “He is the MVP. He gonna score. But you gotta have that mindset to say, hey, I’m gonna be doing this for the whole night, and not too many people have passed that test.”

Apr 15, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen watches from the bench during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

However, do you know once Kobe left Allen almost in tears, but for good reason.

Kobe Bryant’s gesture left Tony Allen Speechless

Back in 2016, the Memphis Grizzlies had just taken down the Lakers 128-119 on their home floor. Tony Allen didn’t even play that night—he was out injured—but what happened after the final buzzer caught him completely off guard. While the crowd celebrated the win, Kobe Bryant had something else in mind for his toughest opponent.

Then came the moment Allen would never forget. As he was catching up with teammates in the locker room, a Lakers’ ball-boy suddenly walked in holding something special. A pair of blue-and-white Nike Kobe 11s. But it wasn’t just about the shoes—it was who they came from. “Kobe wants you to have these,” the kid told him. Allen was stunned. They weren’t close friends. He hadn’t asked for the sneakers. But still, here he was, getting a gift from the Black Mamba himself.

Turns out, Allen had asked Kobe for a jersey weeks earlier, but when nothing happened, he figured Kobe forgot. What he got instead was way more personal. On the right toe box was a message: “To Tony, the best defender I faced.” And on the left? Just two words that said it all: “Kobe 24.”

That’s when the emotion hit. “I had to keep my composure,” Allen said. “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… And this was him showing respect. I couldn’t believe it.” In that quiet, powerful gesture, Bryant gave Allen more than shoes—he gave him validation.

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