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Memphis Grizzlies expected to retire Tony Allen's jersey during the 2024-25 season

Another member of the Memphis Grizzlies “core four” is expected to receive an upcoming jersey retirement ceremony.

The Grizzlies are planning to retire Tony Allen’s jersey during the 2024-25 season, the former All-NBA defender told The Commercial Appeal. Allen would be the third Grizzlies player with a jersey in the rafters, joining Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

“Yeah, they told me next year I’m going to get my jersey retired,” Allen said.

Allen played seven seasons with the Grizzlies. Each year resulted in a playoff appearance, including making the Western Conference Finals in 2013.

Allen, who became known as “the grindfather,” set the tone defensively for one of the NBA’s most tenacious groups. He was a six-time All-Defensive team selection during the Grizzlies’ “Grit and Grind” era.

Memphis had originally planned to retire Allen’s jersey during the 2021-22 season along with Randolph. However, Allen asked the Grizzlies to postpone his jersey retirement until the following season while he dealt with legal matters off the floor.

Allen's retirement celebration will also feature a documentary that will go back to Allen’s roots of growing up in Chicago. That documentary is expected to be released around the time of Allen’s ceremony. A date has not been set yet for the 2024-25 season.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Allen said. “Hopefully, I have a box of tissue with me.”

The core four recently reconnected in the same setting for the first time since the end of the 2017 season at Gasol’s jersey retirement last month.

Gasol came out of the tunnel at his ceremony with Mike Conley, Randolph and Allen alongside him. Allen said in that moment, it felt like the group was getting ready for a game. The next game will be at his celebration.

“Just enjoying those brothers and seeing those guys get up there, knowing that I fought in the trenches in what we called the grindhouse,” Allen said. “I fought a lot of battles with those guys. Just to see the warm welcome that they got, man, it was a special moment.”

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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies planning Tony Allen's jersey retirement for next season