‘If anyone should’ve got it that year it was Tony Allen’: Marc Gasol responds to LeBron James’ comments about 2013 DPOY

Marc Gasol said his Grizzlies teammate Tony Allen deserved the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012-13 over himself and LeBron James.

LeBron James has stated on numerous occasions over the past 7 years that he deserved the DPOY award in 2012-13. This was the same year that he missed out on being the unanimous MVP by one solitary vote.

While Marc Gasol was voted the Defensive Player of the Year by media members, coaches did not name him to First Team All-Defense. He only made the cut for Second Team, with Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler making the First Team.

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Marc Gasol believes Tony Allen deserved 2013 DPOY award over LeBron James

Gasol waxed eloquent when talking about the Grit n Grind Grizzlies’ 2012-13 showing over the regular season.

“I believe that trophy is for the Grizzlies in 2013. I think the team that deserved to have that trophy was the Grizzlies. For some reason, they picked me. 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.”

Marc Gasol responds to LeBron’s DPOY comments – https://t.co/s0WGejJVQZ

— Brian Frederick (@bfred34) December 5, 2020

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The 2012-13 Memphis Grizzlies were the best defense in the league that year. They had elite defenders all over the floor, and Gasol helped cover up Zach Randolph’s shortcomings on that end of the floor.

3 Grizzlies made All-Defensive teams that year, and all with plenty good reason. While LeBron had a great individual defense season, the Grizzlies definitely deserved to have one of theirs honoured with the award. It just so happened that the media valued Marc Gasol’s interior defense over LeBron or Tony Allen’s perimeter defense.