Memphis Grizzlies

The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. Original proposals were for the team to be called the Vancouver Mounties, but objections from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police forced the team to find a new name. The nickname, "Grizzlies" was eventually selected, being a type of bear indigenous to British Columbia.[12][13] The Grizzlies played their home games at General Motors (GM) Place for the entirety of their six seasons in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Grizzlies applied to the NBA to relocate to Memphis, Tennessee on March 26, 2001, which was granted on July 3 leaving the Toronto Raptors as the only Canadian basketball team in the NBA. The team relocated following the 2000–01 season and were renamed the Memphis Grizzlies. After moving to Memphis, the team explored the possibility of changing “Grizzlies” to another name that better reflected the Memphis area. However, the community strongly supported the existing name.[14] This is, primarily, because of the city’s proud history with a previous team, also named Memphis Grizzlies. The original Memphis Grizzlies franchise played in the semi-professional World Football League from 1974 to 1975. Memphis became the easternmost city in the Western Conference. In their first three seasons in Memphis, the Grizzlies played their home games at the Pyramid Arena.

The city of Memphis was previously represented by the Memphis Sounds of the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1970 to 1975.[15][16]

In the 2001 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks chose Pau Gasol as the third overall pick, trading him to the Grizzlies. Forward Shane Battier was selected with the sixth pick in the same draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies. They also acquired Jason Williams from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Mike Bibby that same year. After the Grizzlies' first season in Memphis, Gasol won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. However, despite the strong draft class, general manager Billy Knight was let go. After Knight's departure and the season, the team hired former Los Angeles Laker and Hall of Famer Jerry West as general manager in 2002, who later received the 2003–04 NBA Executive of the Year Award. After West's arrival the team was changed a great deal from Knight's team, with the removal of Sidney Lowe as head coach after 0–8 start to the season and a great deal of player movement, with players such as Mike Miller and James Posey becoming vital to the team's success. During the 2002–03 season, Hubie Brown was hired to coach the Grizzlies.

Before the team could improve, though, one final mistake from the Vancouver era happened to bite them; their first round pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, in which they could have had their choice of future All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, or Dwyane Wade, had been traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1997 for Otis Thorpe; due to the structure of the lottery, the Grizzlies ended up losing the second overall pick, one which likely could have changed their future route by selecting any of the aforementioned players, for a player who didn't even play a full season for the team, playing only 47 games for the team before being released. Even considering the Pistons themselves used the pick on Darko Miličić, widely considered one of that year's biggest draft busts, the Grizzlies had indirectly performed one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history.

Brown won the NBA Coach of the Year Award during the next season when the Grizzlies made the NBA playoffs for the first time in team history in 2004 as the sixth seed in the Western Conference in a drastic change from being perennially one of the worst teams in the NBA. They also won a then-record 50 games under Gasol and Williams. In the playoffs, they faced the San Antonio Spurs, who swept them out of the playoffs in four games.

Pau Gasol

Brown stepped down as head coach during the 2004–05 season. At the time of his resignation, the Grizzlies had a losing record but West hired TNT analyst and former coach Mike Fratello to replace Brown. The Grizzlies' record improved and the team advanced to the post-season for the second consecutive season. However, the Grizzlies were swept out in the first round again, this time by the Phoenix Suns. After the season, which ended with anger between Fratello and many of the players, namely Bonzi Wells and Jason Williams, the team had an active 2005 off-season in which they revamped the team and added veterans. While the Grizzlies lost Wells, Williams, Stromile Swift, and James Posey, they acquired Damon Stoudamire, Bobby Jackson, Hakim Warrick, and Eddie Jones. They made the playoffs for the third consecutive year as well.

With their record they had the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and would face the Dallas Mavericks, who swept the Grizzlies in four games. Following the 2006 NBA draft, Jerry West traded Shane Battier to the Houston Rockets for their first-round pick Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift. Before the 2006–07 season, they suffered a blow when Gasol broke his left foot while playing for Spain in the World Championships. The Grizzlies started the season 5–17 without Gasol, and then went 1–7 while he was limited to about 25 minutes per game. At that point, Fratello was fired and replaced by Tony Barone, Sr. as interim coach. Barone was the team's player personnel director and had never coached an NBA game though he had coached at the collegiate level for both Creighton and Texas A&M being named coach of the year in their conferences three times during his tenure.

The Grizzlies finished the 2006–07 season with a league-worst 22–60 record, and Jerry West announced his resignation from his position as the team's general manager shortly after the end of the regular season. The team also hired Marc Iavaroni, who was previously with the Phoenix Suns as an assistant coach, to be the team's new head coach. Despite the last-place finish, the Grizzlies, who held the best chance of landing the first pick, ended up with the fourth pick in the 2007 NBA draft, with which the Grizzlies selected Mike Conley, Jr.

On June 18, 2007, the Grizzlies named former Boston Celtics general manager Chris Wallace as the team's general manager and vice president of basketball operations, replacing the retired West.[17] A few days later, they hired former Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic head coach Johnny Davis, longtime NBA assistant coach Gordon Chiesa, and the head coach of the 2007 NBA Development League champion Dakota Wizards, David Joerger, as the team's new assistant coaches. Gene Bartow was named the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations on August 16, 2007.[18] On February 1, 2008, Pau Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, rights to Marc Gasol (Pau's younger brother), and 2008 and 2010 first-round draft picks.[19][20]

On January 22, 2009, head coach Marc Iavaroni was fired and replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Johnny Davis for two games. Lionel Hollins was named the Grizzlies' permanent head coach on January 25, 2009.[21]

On June 25, 2009, with the second overall pick in the NBA draft, Memphis selected Hasheem Thabeet, then selected DeMarre Carroll with the 27th overall pick. On September 9, 2009, the Grizzlies signed free agent Allen Iverson to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. He only played three games (none in Memphis) before he left for "personal problems". He was then waived by the Grizzlies.[22][23] Following Iverson's departure, the Grizzlies improved. With new acquisition Zach Randolph playing at an All-Star level, Marc Gasol's improvement, and a commitment to defense, the Grizzlies were in playoff contention for much of the 2009–10 season, before finishing 10th in the Western Conference with a win–loss record of 40–42.

Rudy Gay played for the Grizzlies from 2006 to 2013.

Going into the 2010–11 season the Grizzlies celebrated the tenth year of basketball in Memphis. The season started with tremendous enthusiasm by the fan base in the Memphis area. Although the Grizzlies and their fans were celebrating the tenth season, the Grizzlies were also cheering for the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoffs. They finished with a 46–36 record. The Grizzlies found their way back into the post-season for the first time in five years in the 2010–11 season after a 101–96 home victory over the Sacramento Kings on April 8, 2011.[24] While in the playoff hunt in February 2011, the Grizzlies traded Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, and a protected future first-round pick to the Houston Rockets for Shane Battier, and Ishmael Smith.

The team became known locally and nationally for its "Grit and Grind"-style of basketball which means disruptive defense through high pressure on the ball (they were the team with the most steals per game in 2010–11) and their inside-out offense (they were the highest-scoring team in the paint also). The Grizzlies achieved several firsts in franchise history during the 2011 NBA playoffs. Entering the playoffs as an eighth seed, the team won their first playoff game in franchise history on April 17 with a 101–98 victory on the road against the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs. Memphis then won their first home playoff game when they beat the Spurs 91–88 on April 23.[25] Finally, on April 29, the team won their first playoff series when they beat the Spurs in Game 6, 99–91 to win the series 4–2. This was only the fourth time in NBA history that an #8 seed defeated a #1 seed, and only the second time in a best-of-seven series (the first two were in a best-of-five series).[26] The Grizzlies' historic season came to an end after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated them in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.[27]

The team re-signed Marc Gasol and Hamed Haddadi after the 2010–11 season.[28]

Marc Gasol

The Grizzlies found their way back into the post-season for the second time in six years in the 2011–12 season after a 103–91 home victory over the New Orleans Hornets on April 18, 2012. They finished the 2011–12 season with a 41–25 record, fourth in the Western Conference. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games.

During the 2012 off-season, the Grizzlies drafted Tony Wroten with the 25th overall pick. Their biggest signing in an effort to improve their bench was bringing in Jerryd Bayless. They also acquired Wayne Ellington from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Dante Cunningham.

On June 11, Michael Heisley reportedly had an agreement in principle to sell the Memphis Grizzlies to communications technology magnate Robert J. Pera, who at 34 had a spot on Forbes' 2012 list of the 10 youngest billionaires in the world.[29] The purchase price was in the $350 million range. On August 23, Pera reached an agreement with a group of local partners including J.R. "Pitt" Hyde, Staley Cates, Ed Dobbs, Duncan Williams and Billy Orgel.[30][31] On October 25, Robert Pera was officially approved as the owner of the Memphis Grizzlies.[32][33] On November 4, Pera named Jason Levien the chief executive officer and Managing Partner of the Memphis Grizzlies.[34] On December 13, 2012, ESPN announced that John Hollinger was hired by the Grizzlies as their new vice president of basketball operations.

On January 23, 2013, the Grizzlies acquired Jon Leuer from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Selby, and a future first-round pick.[35] On January 30, the Grizzlies traded Rudy Gay and Hamed Haddadi to the Toronto Raptors in a three team deal also involving the Detroit Pistons. The Grizzlies acquired Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye from the Pistons and Ed Davis and a future second-round pick from the Raptors.[36]

At the end of the season, Memphis finished with their best franchise record of 56–26, second in the division and as the fifth seed in the playoffs. Also, Marc Gasol was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In the opening round, Memphis defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in six games after trailing in the series 0–2. This avenged their defeat from the previous year at the hands of the Clippers. Memphis then went on to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history when they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 4–1 in their semi-finals series. This was a rematch of their meeting in the 2011 playoffs, which the Thunder won in seven games. However, the Grizzlies' season ended in the Conference Finals as they were swept by the eventual conference champions, San Antonio Spurs in yet another rematch/reversal from the 2011 playoffs.

The Grizzlies struggled to begin the 2013–14 season, starting out at 14–18 with Marc Gasol out, and entered the All-Star break with a win–loss record of 29–23. They went 21–9 after, finishing in third place in the Southwest division and in seventh place in the Western Conference with a win–loss record of 50–32, including a 14-game winning streak at FedExForum. They faced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs and had a record four straight overtimes from games 2–5, going 3–1 in the overtimes. The Grizzlies fell 4–3, despite an effort by Gasol in Game 7 without Randolph after he was suspended for punching Thunder center Steven Adams in Game 6.

On October 29, 2014, the Grizzlies defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 105–101 for the franchise's first victory in a season opener since 2000, the year before the team moved to Memphis.[37]

In the 2014–15 season, the Grizzlies made the NBA playoffs as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. In the first round, the Grizzlies defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. Games 4 and 5 were played without Mike Conley, who in Game 3 suffered multiple facial fractures in a collision with Blazers guard CJ McCollum. In the second round, they found themselves facing off against the top-seeded Golden State Warriors and MVP Stephen Curry. The Warriors took Game 1, and Conley returned in Game 2 to lead the Grizzlies to a 108–95 victory. Memphis took a 2–1 series lead before Golden State ultimately dispatched the Grizzlies in six games.

On April 1, 2016, the Grizzlies signed their 28th player for the season, an NBA record.[38] On July 6, 2017, the team's management announced that Randolph's number 50 jersey would be retired in the future after he became a free agent,[39] and eventually signed with the Sacramento Kings[40] Allen also left and signed with the New Orleans Pelicans, closing the door on the "Grit and Grind" era.[41]

With the departures of Randolph and Allen, the 2017–18 Grizzlies missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2009–10 season, and tied their longest losing streak in franchise history near the end of the season with 19 straight losses from January 31 to March 17, 2018, while suffering from their worst loss in franchise history during the regular season on March 22, losing to the Charlotte Hornets 140–79, all with their point guard Mike Conley Jr. playing in all but 12 games due to being injured. The Grizzlies tried to be competitive again with Conley and others back in the beginning of the 2018–19 season, but were on the outside looking in as the trade deadline approached and they were standing at the 14th seed with a 22–33 record by February 5. The Grizzlies decided to move on from their two franchise players and the last remnants of the "Grit and Grind" era with Marc Gasol getting traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Jonas Valančiūnas, Delon Wright, C. J. Miles, and a 2024 second-round draft pick.[42] After the season, on July 6, Mike Conley was traded to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder and the 23rd pick of the 2019 NBA draft.[43]

Ja Morant

After the end of the 2018–19 season, controlling owner Robert Pera announced a restructuring of the Grizzlies' basketball operations department: "In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations".[44] J. B. Bickerstaff was relieved from his duties as head coach and general manager Chris Wallace was reallocated to a role exclusively in player scouting.[44] Jason Wexler was announced as Team President and Zachary Kleiman was promoted to general manager/EVP of Basketball Operations.[45]

On June 12, 2019, the Grizzlies announced Taylor Jenkins as the team's new head coach.[46]

With the second pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the Grizzlies selected Ja Morant.[47] Additionally, they received Brandon Clarke after he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 21st pick, and then immediately traded to the Grizzlies for the 23rd pick (via the Utah Jazz) and the Grizzlies' 2024 second-round pick.[48][49] The Grizzlies rebuilt their roster with a young core consisting of Morant, Clarke, Allen, Dillon Brooks, and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Following the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Grizzlies were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final eight games of the regular season.[50] They finished in ninth place in the Western Conference and had a chance to make it to the 2020 NBA playoffs, needing to win two games against the Portland Trail Blazers to advance. In the first and only play-in game, the Trail Blazers defeated the Grizzlies 126–122. At the conclusion of the season, Morant, who averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 assists per game, was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, earning 99 out of 100 first place votes on the ballot.[51] Morant and teammate Brandon Clarke were also named to the 2019–20 NBA All-Rookie First Team.[52]

The Grizzlies finished the COVID-shortened 2020–21 NBA season with a 38–34 record, earning them the ninth best record in the Western Conference and a chance to make the NBA playoffs through the play-in tournament by winning two games in a row. The Grizzlies did so with a 100–96 victory over the 10th-place San Antonio Spurs, at home on May 19, 2021[53] followed by a 117–112 victory over the 8th-place Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on May 21, 2021, to claim the Western Conference's 8th seed behind 35 points from Morant.[54] The Grizzlies' first-round match-up pitted them against the Utah Jazz, who boasted the top record in the league. The Grizzlies upset the Jazz in Salt Lake City with a 112–109 victory in Game 1 but went on to lose the series in five games.[55][56] Rookie wing Desmond Bane, acquired by Memphis with the 30th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, was selected to the 2020–21 NBA All-Rookie Second Team for his campaign that season.[57]

The Grizzlies saw greater success in the following 2021–22 NBA season. On December 2, 2021, the Grizzlies set an NBA record for the largest margin of victory by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder by 73 points (152–79).[58] Team star Ja Morant became the second player in Grizzlies history to be named a starter for the All-Star Game when his selection for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game was announced on January 27, 2022.[59] By the All-Star break, the Grizzlies had recorded a record of 41–19, good for 3rd place in the West.[60] On March 30, 2022, the Grizzlies clinched their first division title in franchise history and the Western Conference's second seed, their highest ever seeding placement, when they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 112–111 on the road to claim their 54th win of the season, ensuring that they would finish with the best record in the Southwest Division.[61] The Grizzlies finished the regular season with a record of 56–26.[62]

The Grizzlies hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends.[63] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams.

The Grizzlies originally planned to retire Tony Allen's no. 9 jersey on January 28, 2022.[64] However, in November 2021, the ceremony was postponed at the request of Allen.[65]

After trading Marc Gasol during the 2018–19 season's trade deadline, the team announced that Gasol's no. 33 would be retired.[66] After trading Mike Conley Jr. the team announced they would retire Conley Jr.'s no. 11.[67]

The NBA retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all its member teams on August 11, 2022.[68][69]

Memphis Grizzlies retired numbers
No.	Name	Position	Tenure	Retired
50	Zach Randolph	PF	2009–2017	December 11, 2021
	Don Poier	Broadcaster	1995–2005	April 20, 2005

Grizz is the official mascot of the Memphis Grizzlies. He was first introduced in 1995 when the team was in Vancouver, British Columbia.[70] Grizz was named 2011 NBA Mascot of the Year.[71][72]

In 2007, the performer playing Grizz was diagnosed with cancer. As a show of support, the Grizzlies chose not to have Grizz appear until he recovered. During this period, mascots from other teams performed at Grizzlies home games in Grizz's place. The franchise also launched a program called "Friends of Grizz", with donations and proceedings going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.[73]

Growl Towels are the Grizzlies' trademark gold rally towels given to fans at every home playoff game. Originally white, they made their debut in 2004 in the third and fourth games of the franchise's first ever playoff series. They switched to gold when the Grizzlies changed their team colors for the 2004–2005 season. Since 2013, Growl Towels have rotated various popular team slogans such as "Grit & Grind", "All Heart", or "Ain't No Runnin' in the M", and each towel identifies the playoff year, round and game number it was released. They became notable across the league during Memphis' seven consecutive playoff runs starting in 2011.[74] During their 2013 run to the Western Conference Finals, the Grizzlies printed over 100,000 towels.[75]

The popular song by Memphis rapper Al Kapone from the locally filmed Hustle & Flow has become a standard during Grizzlies games since erupting as a spontaneous chant among fans during the 2013 playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers.[76] The song is generally played over the sound system in the fourth quarter either as a hype song to rally the fans or as a taunt against the opposing team during a blowout win.

Despite being one of the youngest squads in the NBA, the Grizzlies are rivals with the Los Angeles Clippers, since the 2011–12 season, when the Clippers eliminated the Grizzlies in seven games in the first round of the 2012 NBA playoffs. The Grizzlies returned the favor in the 2012–13 season, eliminating the Clippers in six games in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs. There have also been violent scuffles between the players, mainly between the Grizzlies Zach Randolph and the Clippers Blake Griffin. The Grizzlies are also the first team to draw an ejection on Clippers guard Chris Paul after he elbowed Marc Gasol in the ribs in the closing minutes of Game 6.[77] When asked about a rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers center DeAndre Jordan stated, "I don't think it'll ever be a rivalry. You guys [in the media] want it to be, though. I would say Memphis more than the Lakers. I hate every other NBA team in the league. If anybody [is our rival], I'd say Memphis."[78] Although the two teams never met in the 2014 playoffs, they still engaged in close, heated matchups in the 2014–15 season. In a Grizzlies home game against the Clippers, the crowd was given flip-flop sandals designating Clippers players as "floppers".

The Grizzlies also have a rivalry brewing with the Oklahoma City Thunder, dating back to when the teams were based in Vancouver and Seattle, respectively. The squads have faced each other in the playoffs in 2011, 2013, and 2014, with the Thunder beating the Grizzlies in the conference semifinals in 2011 and in the conference quarterfinals in 2014, both in seven games.The Grizzlies handled the Thunder in five games during the conference semifinals in 2013 before getting beaten by the San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals that same year.

The Grizzlies' rivalry with the San Antonio Spurs goes way back in 2004 when the Spurs swept the Grizzlies in the first round. Seven years later, they would meet again in the 2011 NBA playoffs. The Grizzlies upset the Spurs in six games, which made it the fourth time ever an 8th seed beat a first seed in the playoffs. They would then meet again in the conference finals in 2013, where the Spurs once again swept the Grizzlies to go to the NBA Finals and got swept again in 2016, due to a lot of injuries the Grizzlies had during the season. They met again the following year, where the Grizzlies lost in six games.