Memphis Grizzlies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Memphis Grizzlies |
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| Conference | Western | ||||
| Division | Southwest | ||||
| Founded | 1995 | ||||
| History | Vancouver Grizzlies 1995–2001 Memphis Grizzlies 2001–present |
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| Arena | FedExForum | ||||
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee | ||||
| Team colors | Beale Street blue, Memphis midnight blue, steel gray, gold |
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| Main sponsor | Robinhood | ||||
| President | Jason Wexler | ||||
| General manager | Zachary Kleiman | ||||
| Head coach | Taylor Jenkins | ||||
| Ownership | Memphis Basketball, LLC (Robert Pera, Chairman and Controlling Owner) | ||||
| Affiliation(s) | Memphis Hustle | ||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||
| Conference titles | 0 | ||||
| Division titles | 2 (2022, 2023) | ||||
| Retired numbers | 2 (33, 50) | ||||
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The Memphis Grizzlies, often called the Grizz, are a professional basketball team from Memphis, Tennessee. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Grizzlies are part of the Southwest Division in the Western Conference. Their home games are played at FedExForum. The Grizzlies are currently the only major professional sports team in Memphis and the only professional basketball team in Tennessee.
The team first started in Canada as the Vancouver Grizzlies in Vancouver, British Columbia. They joined the NBA in 1995 as a new team. After the 2000–01 season, the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver to Memphis.
Contents
- Team History: From Vancouver to Memphis
- Season Records
- Team Uniforms
- Home Arenas
- Team Personnel
- Team Traditions
- Team Rivalries
- See also
Team History: From Vancouver to Memphis
Starting in Vancouver (1995–2001)
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian basketball team based in Vancouver. They were part of the NBA's expansion into Canada in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors. The team was named "Grizzlies" after a type of bear found in British Columbia. They played their home games at General Motors (GM) Place for all six seasons they were in Vancouver.
Moving to Memphis
On March 26, 2001, the Vancouver Grizzlies asked the NBA if they could move to Memphis, Tennessee. This request was approved on July 3, making the Toronto Raptors the only Canadian NBA team. The team moved after the 2000–01 season and became the Memphis Grizzlies. People in Memphis really liked the name "Grizzlies" because of a past football team in the city that also used that name. For their first three seasons in Memphis, the Grizzlies played at the Pyramid Arena.
The Pau Gasol Years (2001–2007)
In the 2001 NBA draft, the Grizzlies got Pau Gasol, who was picked third overall. They also drafted Shane Battier with the sixth pick. Gasol won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after his first season in Memphis. In 2002, Jerry West, a famous former player, became the team's general manager. He helped change the team a lot, bringing in players like Mike Miller and James Posey.
In the 2002–03 NBA season, Hubie Brown became the Grizzlies' coach. The team improved a lot under him. In 2004, the Grizzlies made the NBA playoffs for the first time ever! They won a record 50 games that season. However, they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in four games in the playoffs.
More Playoff Appearances (2004–2007)
Coach Brown stepped down during the 2004–05 NBA season, and Mike Fratello took over. The Grizzlies made the playoffs again but were swept by the Phoenix Suns. After that season, the team made many changes, bringing in new veteran players. They made the playoffs for a third straight year in 2006 but were swept again, this time by the Dallas Mavericks.
Before the 2006–07 NBA season, Pau Gasol broke his foot, which hurt the team's start. Coach Fratello was later fired, and Tony Barone Sr. became the interim coach.
Rebuilding the Team (2007–2010)
The Grizzlies finished the 2006–07 season with the worst record in the league. Jerry West left his role as general manager. The team then hired Marc Iavaroni as the new head coach. In the 2007 NBA draft, the Grizzlies picked Mike Conley Jr. with the fourth overall pick.
On February 1, 2008, Pau Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return, the Grizzlies received several players and the rights to Marc Gasol, Pau's younger brother.
In January 2009, Marc Iavaroni was fired, and Lionel Hollins became the permanent head coach. In the 2009 NBA draft, Memphis picked Hasheem Thabeet and DeMarre Carroll. They also signed Allen Iverson, but he only played three games before leaving. The team started to improve with Zach Randolph playing very well and Marc Gasol getting better. They finished the 2009–10 NBA season with a 40–42 record, just missing the playoffs.
The "Grit and Grind" Era (2010–2019)
Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Tony Allen (2010–2017)
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The 2010–11 season was the Grizzlies' tenth year in Memphis. They made it back to the playoffs for the first time in five years, finishing with a 46–36 record. The team became famous for its "Grit and Grind" style of play. This meant playing tough defense and scoring a lot of points close to the basket.
In the 2011 NBA playoffs, the Grizzlies, as the eighth seed, did something amazing. They beat the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in six games! This was only the fourth time in NBA history an #8 seed beat a #1 seed. Their historic playoff run ended when they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Grizzlies returned to the playoffs in the 2011–12 NBA season, finishing fourth in the Western Conference. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round.
In 2012, Robert J. Pera became the new owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. The team continued to make trades to improve their roster.
In 2013, the Grizzlies had their best season record ever, 56–26. Marc Gasol was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In the playoffs, they got revenge on the Los Angeles Clippers, beating them in six games. They then reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, their season ended when they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.
The Grizzlies faced the Oklahoma City Thunder again in the 2013–14 NBA season playoffs, losing in seven games. In the 2014–15 NBA season, they made the playoffs as the fifth seed. They beat the Portland Trail Blazers but then lost to the top-seeded Golden State Warriors in six games.
By 2017, key players from the "Grit and Grind" era, like Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, left the team. This marked the end of a special time for the Grizzlies.
The End of an Era (2017–2019)
After Randolph and Allen left, the Grizzlies missed the playoffs in the 2017–18 season. They also had a long losing streak. Their star point guard, Mike Conley Jr., missed most of the season due to injuries.
In the 2018–19 NBA season, the team decided to rebuild. Marc Gasol was traded to the Toronto Raptors. After the season, Mike Conley Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz. These trades meant the "Grit and Grind" era was truly over.
The Ja Morant Era (2019–Present)
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After the 2018–19 season, the Grizzlies changed their basketball operations. Taylor Jenkins became the team's new head coach.
With the second pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the Grizzlies selected Ja Morant. They also got Brandon Clarke. The team started building a new, young core with Morant, Clarke, Dillon Brooks, and Jaren Jackson Jr..
In the 2019–20 season, the Grizzlies were invited to the NBA Bubble to finish the season. They just missed the playoffs after losing a play-in game. However, Ja Morant was named the NBA Rookie of the Year!
The Grizzlies made the playoffs again in the 2020–21 NBA season through the play-in tournament. They beat the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors to get the 8th seed. They then faced the top-ranked Utah Jazz and won Game 1, but lost the series in five games.
The 2021–22 NBA season was very successful. The Grizzlies won their first division title ever and finished as the second seed in the Western Conference. They beat Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Golden State Warriors in the second round.
In the 2022–23 NBA season, the Grizzlies finished second in the West again. Jaren Jackson Jr. was named an All-Star and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 2023–24 NBA season was tough for the Grizzlies due to many injuries to key players like Ja Morant and Marcus Smart. They ended the season with a 27–55 record.
Season Records
Here are the Grizzlies' records for the last five seasons. For all seasons, see list of Memphis Grizzlies seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage
| Season | GP | W | L | W–L% | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2019–20 | 73 | 34 | 39 | .466 | 3rd, Southwest | Did not qualify |
| 2020–21 | 72 | 38 | 34 | .528 | 2nd, Southwest | Lost in First Round, 1–4 (Jazz) |
| 21–22 | 82 | 56 | 26 | .683 | 1st, Southwest | Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2–4 (Warriors) |
| 22–23 | 82 | 51 | 31 | .622 | 1st, Southwest | Lost in First Round, 2–4 (Lakers) |
| 23–24 | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | 4th, Southwest | Did not qualify |
Team Uniforms
When the Grizzlies first moved to Memphis, they kept their old Vancouver uniforms but added "Memphis" to them. Their colors were turquoise and red. Later, they changed their colors in 2004 to navy blue, Beale Street blue, smoke blue, and gold. Their bear logo also changed to a more serious-looking bear head.
Over the years, the Grizzlies have updated their uniforms several times. They've had alternate jerseys and special "City" uniforms that pay tribute to different parts of Memphis culture, like the "I am a Man" protest banners, professional wrestling, Isaac Hayes and Stax Records, and even local basketball courts. Some "City" uniforms have also honored the team's past, including elements from the Vancouver era.
Home Arenas
- General Motors (GM) Place (1995–2001)
- Pyramid Arena (2001–2004)
- FedExForum (2004–present)
Team Personnel
Current Roster
Basketball Hall of Famers
Some famous players and people who helped the Grizzlies are in the Basketball Hall of Fame:
| Memphis Grizzlies Hall of Famers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | ||||
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| 3 | Allen Iverson | G | 2009 | 2016 |
| 16 | Pau Gasol | F/C | 2001–2008 | 2023 |
| 15 | Vince Carter | G/F | 2014–2017 | 2024 |
| Contributors | ||||
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | |
| Hubie Brown | Head coach | 2002–2004 | 2005 | |
| Jerry West | General manager | 2002–2007 | 2024 | |
Retired Numbers
The Grizzlies honor special players by retiring their jersey numbers, meaning no other player on the team can wear that number again. The NBA also retired Bill Russell's No. 6 for all teams.
| Memphis Grizzlies retired numbers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Retired |
| 33 | Marc Gasol | C | 2008–2019 | April 6, 2024 |
| 50 | Zach Randolph | PF | 2009–2017 | December 11, 2021 |
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Don Poier | Broadcaster | 1995–2005 | April 20, 2005 |
Team Traditions
Grizz, the Mascot
Grizz is the official mascot of the Memphis Grizzlies. He was first introduced in 1995 when the team was in Vancouver. Grizz was even named the NBA Mascot of the Year in 2011!
Friends of Grizz
In 2007, the person who plays Grizz got sick. To show support, the Grizzlies didn't have Grizz appear until he got better. Mascots from other teams filled in for him. The team also started a program called "Friends of Grizz" to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Growl Towels
Growl Towels are the Grizzlies' special gold rally towels given to fans at every home playoff game. They first appeared in 2004 and became gold when the team changed its colors. These towels often have popular team slogans like "Grit & Grind" on them.
"Whoop that Trick"
This popular song by Memphis rapper Al Kapone is often played during Grizzlies games. It became a fan favorite during the 2013 playoffs.
Team Rivalries
Los Angeles Clippers
The Grizzlies have a rivalry with the Los Angeles Clippers. It started in the 2011–12 NBA season when the Clippers beat the Grizzlies in the playoffs. The Grizzlies got their revenge the next year, beating the Clippers in the 2013 NBA playoffs. There have been some intense moments and even fights between players from both teams.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Grizzlies also have a rivalry with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have played each other in the playoffs three times (2011, 2013, and 2014). The Thunder won two of those series, and the Grizzlies won one.
San Antonio Spurs
The Grizzlies' rivalry with the San Antonio Spurs goes back to 2004 when the Spurs swept them in the playoffs. But in 2011, the Grizzlies made history by upsetting the Spurs as the 8th seed. They met again in the 2013 Western Conference Finals, where the Spurs won. The teams have continued to have close and exciting games.
See also
In Spanish: Memphis Grizzlies para niños
