Vince Carter’s Hall of Fame induction just got sweeter. The Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors announced they would retire #15. After this, another former team of his confirmed the date for jersey retirement. The Memphis Grizzlies made the date official not for Carter but for his former teammate Tony Allen. Earlier this year, the official announcement was made and today, the date has been confirmed. Thus, Allen finds his place in franchise honors alongside his two brothers.

“BREAKING: The Grizzlies are retiring Tony Allen’s No. 9 jersey on March 15th. Deserved 🔥.” The honor makes Allen the third player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired. “It was flattering, it was humbling. I was excited. A lot of things come to mind but for the most part, the Grizzlies always had my back. I’m a Grizzly for life,” former teammate of Vince Carter said earlier this year.

Allen also joins two of his ‘Core Four‘ brothers and will become the third player in the franchise’s history. In 2021, Zach Randolph #50 became the first Grizzlies player, and Marc Gasol #33 was honored in April this year. “Those are my brothers, Big Spain, Z-Bo. The hard work, the blood, sweat and tears that we put in and that’s a sign of letting it be known it paid off.”

Back in 2017, Memphis had already assured the retirement of the jersey. Seven years later, they confirmed the date. The Grizzlies are celebrating their 30th anniversary just like Vince Carter’s Toronto Raptors. Both teams were part of the extension plans, but in 2001, the new ownership group moved to Tennessee. They played all their games at FedExForum, and it will be the place to be on March 15th for Allen’s jersey retirement. And as they become history, their numbers continue to be a part of one.

Years after retirement, Vince Carter and Tony Allen are still part of the record books

After signing for the team as a free agent in 2010, Tony Allen helped the Grizzles to reach the playoffs in all of his 7 seasons. Plus the ‘Grindfather’, known for his epic defensive skills, ranks second in steals (762) in franchise history. Allen is also top 10 in multiple categories, games played (462; 6th), offensive rebounds (741; 9th), blocks (217; 10th), and minutes (11,588; 10th). And just like his former teammate, Vince Carter too is part of history books.

The 8x All-Star averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 403 games. During his 7-year spell with the Raptors, he is fourth on the team’s all-time scoring list (9,420 points). Similarly, for the Nets, Vince Carter achieved his best-ever stat line. For his 5 seasons, he scored 23.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Also, he made the playoffs thrice in 5 seasons. So it will be emotional days for both Carter and Allen.

The Memphis Grizzles are trying to make the day even more special for the fans with presents. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a Commemorative Vinyl Record, produced locally in partnership with Memphis Record Pressing, showcasing the memorable plays, moments, and interviews from Allen’s Grizzlies career.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”