Tony Allen, the former Memphis Grizzlies defensive standout and six-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Poinsett County, Arkansas, on multiple drug possession charges following a traffic stop on Interstate 555 near Payneway.
Allen, 43, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by William Hatton, 33, of Memphis. According to the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office, deputies pulled the car over for a traffic violation and immediately detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Both men were asked to exit the car, prompting a search that uncovered a package of marijuana on Allen’s person, a cigarette box containing a powdery substance, later confirmed to be cocaine, found near Allen’s seat and additional drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle, which Hatton reportedly claimed ownership of
Allen was charged with possession of a Schedule I or II drug (less than two grams), and possession of a Schedule IV drug (less than four ounces). Hatton faces similar charges, along with citations for improper lane change and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Tony Allen played in the NBA from 2004 to 2018, beginning his career with the Boston Celtics, where he won a championship in 2008. He later became a cornerstone of the Memphis Grizzlies’ “Grit and Grind” era, playing from 2010 to 2017 and earning a reputation as one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders. He finished his career with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Allen’s contributions to Memphis basketball were so significant that the Grizzlies retired his jersey in 2022, honoring his role in transforming the franchise’s identity.
This is not Allen’s first brush with the law. In 2023, he pleaded guilty in a federal case involving fraudulent claims to the NBA’s health and welfare benefit plan. He was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and community service.
Allen was booked into the Poinsett County Jail shortly after 2 p.m. on November 5. As of Thursday morning, no court date has been publicly announced. The Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office has not released further comment.
