Marc Gasol Responds To LeBron James, Feels Tony Allen Deserved 2013 DPOY Over Him

Marc Gasol was awarded the 2013 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, something LeBron James felt should have been his. But in the eyes of the Spaniard, there was someone more deserving at that time: his teammate Tony Allen.

As far as Gasol is concerned, the 2013 DPOY rightfully went to someone from the Memphis Grizzlies. He admitted that though he received the honor, the player who deserved it more is Allen.

“If anybody, the one that should have claimed that trophy was Tony Allen, from my point of view. At the same time, from the First All-Defensive Team, I believe I should be there. But I don’t, and I don’t care. We (LeBron) can have a laugh about it if he wants. If not, I’m sure he can get that this year if he wants to,” Gasol said in an interview with ESPN.

Gasol and Allen were the key players for that season's Grizzlies team, which reached the Western Conference Finals. They finished the regular season with a 56-26 win-loss record and entered the playoffs as the fifth seed.

The Grizzlies eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers in the first-round (4-2) and then the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-1) in the semifinals. Their run was halted after falling to the San Antonio Spurs via sweep in the Western Conference Finals.

Allen is now semi-retired, having played last with the New Orleans Pelicans. He was traded in February 2018 by the Pelicans to the Chicago Bulls, getting waived.

To his credit, Allen also has one NBA title. This came in 2008 as a member of the Boston Celtics.

The 37-year-old player was recognized as one of the league’s best defenders. One player he was famous for guarding was former Laker Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba himself said that Allen was one of the best defenders he had ever faced.

For Gasol, it is something that he and James can poke fun at heading into the 2020-21 season. Aware that the four-time NBA champion has shown no signs of slowing down, this coming NBA season could be the year where James can nail the coveted Defensive Player of the Year award.