Photo: Tony Allen/X

Former Memphis Grizzlies defensive standout Tony Allen has been arrested in Arkansas on drug-related charges, according to the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office.

The 43-year-old, widely regarded as one of the NBA’s elite defenders during his playing career, is currently being held without bond.

Authorities told TMZ that Allen faces two counts of drug possession – one felony and one misdemeanor. Sheriff Kevin Moulder said Allen was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for an improper lane change on an interstate roughly 50 miles from Memphis.

During the stop, officers reportedly discovered a bag of marijuana on Allen, while a search of the vehicle allegedly turned up cocaine hidden in a cigarette box.

Allen was taken into custody and booked, later posing for a mugshot in a white T-shirt. Reports indicate he appeared visibly unhappy during the process.

A six-time All-Defensive Team selection, Allen became a Memphis fan favorite and was a key part of the “Grit and Grind” era from 2011 to 2017.

His No. 9 jersey was retired by the Grizzlies in March. He also played for the Boston Celtics, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2008, and later for the New Orleans Pelicans.

This isn’t Allen’s first legal trouble. In 2023, he pled guilty in a federal case involving an NBA health insurance fraud scheme and was sentenced to community service along with three years of supervised probation.

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