The Memphis Grizzlies announced on Wednesday that Zach Randolph and Tony Allen would become the first players in franchise history to have their numbers retired in the rafters at FedEx Forum. Allen, who played seven seasons for the Grizzlies, quickly reacted to the news on social media:

Allen went to the playoffs in each and every season with Memphis and was arguably one of the best defenders in the Association. He was also a key part of the “Grit and Grind” era for the Grizzlies alongside Randolph, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol.

January 28th will be the special night for Allen while Randolph's jersey gets retired on December 11th. Tony Allen spent the majority of his career with the franchise, also playing six years with the Boston Celtics and one with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Grizzlies already announced a couple of years back that Conley and Gasol will receive the same honor once they retire from the league. “The Core Four” set the tone for the organization in the early 2010s and that whole legacy has moved onto the current Grizzlies team, who are the epitome of “Grit and Grind”, led by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, who helped them make the playoffs in 2021.

Congrats to Tony Allen.