Former Cowboy Tony Allen Signs With Grizzlies

Originally Published: Jul 12, 2010 5:29 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – Former Oklahoma State standout Tony Allen signed a three-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday, marking the end of his six-year stay with the Boston Celtics.

Allen has struggled with injuries since joining the NBA in 2004, but in recent years emerged as a strong defender off the Celtics’ bench. He was part of the Celtic team that won the 2008 NBA Championship.

Rumors swirled for days that Allen was on the verge of signing an extension with Boston, but the Celtics reportedly would not offer him a long-term contract. According to NBA.com, Allen’s deal with the Grizzlies is for three years and a total of $9.7 million.

Allen transferred to OSU for his final two college seasons, and became the first Cowboy to ever score 1,000 points in only two years. He was named Big 12 Player of the Year after his senior season, in which he averaged 16 points per game. The Celtics drafted with him with 25th overall pick in the NBA Draft.