“Kobe has the ball, you need a stop for your life… Which defender are you taking?” That’s the exact question Hoops Mix Only posed on X while giving the users a plethora of options, including Scottie Pippen, Gary Paton, Dwyane Wade, Ben Wallace, Kawhi Leonard, Dennis Rodman, Draymond Green, LeBron James, and Kevin Garnett. Despite two arguable GOATs in the mix, one name stood out in the majority opinion in the comments.
Tony Allen. While most agreed on the name, there was one particular user who low-key discarded the former Memphis Grizzlies star completely. “Tony Allen”, Kobe once put 48 in Tony Allen face. Stop the foolishness,” he wrote. Unfortunately for him, the post caught Allen’s attention too. However, instead of lashing out, the ex-Celtic came in with proof of his worth against Kobe Bryant.
“Lol,” Allen posted in response, sharing a photo that instantly silenced the doubters. In the image: a pair of blue and white Nike Kobe 11 sneakers signed by none other than Kobe Bryant. But it wasn’t just the signature that made jaws drop—it was the message on the right shoe: “To Tony, the Best defender I ever faced!”
Lol https://t.co/gbb8BCtOBT pic.twitter.com/JtutWsyGee
— Tony Allen (@aa000G9) April 11, 2025
Now, there’s a story behind that gift that’s just as meaningful as the shoes themselves. According to Basketball Network, this moment unfolded during Allen’s time with the Grizzlies in 2016. After a game, while sitting with teammates in the dugout, Allen was approached by a Lakers ballboy who walked into the Grizzlies’ locker room holding the special pair. He was looking for Allen—and he had something straight from Black Mamba himself. The Grindfather was stunned.
He hadn’t asked the Los Angeles Lakers icon for shoes. In fact, the only thing he vaguely remembered was casually requesting a jersey from him weeks ago. He figured Kobe Bryant had either forgotten or brushed it off—not unusual, considering how busy the Mamba always was. What he didn’t expect was a gesture that would leave him genuinely moved.
“I had to keep my composure,” Allen recalled. “I damn near teared up… Had to fight it. It meant everything. Because I would wake up in the morning thinking about guarding Kobe. I dreamed about guarding Kobe. I’d eat breakfast thinking about Kobe. Drive to the game thinking about Kobe. I’d watch a hundred isos of Kobe. I’d watch a hundred plays in the post. I would never stop thinking about guarding him. And this was him showing respect. I couldn’t believe it.”
For someone who built his career on being the defensive anchor, receiving that level of recognition from a player like Kobe wasn’t just a compliment—it was the ultimate reward. And this wasn’t just something Black Mamba wrote as a message that has nice to ring it for a gift, but he admitted it verbally too.
“Had scratch marks everywhere”: Kobe Bryant once opened up on the tough on-court battles he had with Tony Allen
When Black Mamba sat down with BodyArmour in 2018, he didn’t flinch for a second when asked about the toughest defender he’d ever gone up against. And considering the battles he fought on the court over two decades, that says a lot. The answer was once again Tony Allen. No debate. No hesitation.
“Tony Allen, that’s easy, it was Tony Allen,” Kobe said, without skipping a beat. “He was the only one that 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, I could score 10 straight on him, and he’s not blinking. He’s still there, he’s still playing defense, he’s still being physical, he’s not backing down… I would used to finish playing against Tony Allen and I had scratch marks everywhere and I loved it.”
You could hear the admiration in Kobe Bryant’s voice. And if you watched them go at it, you know it wasn’t just talk. Their rivalry peaked under the brightest lights—the NBA Finals. They clashed in 2008 when the Celtics took the crown, and again in 2010, when Kobe and the Lakers evened the score.
Over the course of their careers, they faced each other 34 times—24 in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs. The wild part? They both won 17 of those games. Dead even. But make no mistake, Kobe put up the numbers. Allen’s job wasn’t to score—it was to throw everything he had at the Mamba. And he did. With no help, no fear, and a defense that left its mark—literally.
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