THE Black Mamba respects the competition.
Kobe Bryant proved this by praising Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies as “best defender I ever faced.”
The retiring NBA superstar wrote down the accolade on his game-worn Kobe XI signature sneakers along with his autograph that he gave to Allen after the Grizzlies’ 112-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last Saturday.
Allen, a three-time member of the All-NBA Defensive Team who notably faced off against Bryant as a hard-nosed guard with the Boston Celtics during the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals, posted his appreciation on Twitter.
Salute ? @kobebryant #Respect ???? pic.twitter.com/vq60gu8XHb
— Tony Allen (@aa000G9) February 27, 2016
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