Ex-NBA Star Tony Allen
Busted On Drug Charges
Published November 6, 2025 5:28 AM PST
Tony Allen — a former star and lockdown defender for the Memphis Grizzlies — is locked up behind bars in Arkansas on drug charges … TMZ has learned.
The Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office tells TMZ … Allen is facing two charges of drug possession — one felony and one misdemeanor — and he’s currently being held without bond.
Poinsett Sheriff Kevin Moulder tells TMZ … Allen was riding as a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over after the driver improperly changed lanes on an interstate about 50 miles from Memphis.
Authorities say Allen was found with a bag of marijuana on him … and when deputies searched the vehicle, they allegedly found cocaine in a cigarette box.
Allen later posed for a mug shot in a white T-shirt … and based on his expression, he’s not thrilled about it.
The 43-year-old was a staple on the Grizzlies from 2011 to 2017, and also played for the Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans. His jersey was retired by the Grizzlies in March — and he’s widely considered one of the best defensive players of all time.
This isn’t the first time Allen’s been in trouble with the law … in 2023, he pled guilty in a federal case involving an NBA health insurance and fraud scheme — and was sentenced to community service and three years of supervised probation.