MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FRANCHISE HISTORY
Previous Franchise Names: Vancouver Grizzlies
Principal Owner: Robert Pera
Co-Executive Chairman: Steve Kaplan
General Manager: Chris Wallace
Head Coach: Dave Joerger
Best Season: 2012-13 (56-26, .683)
Playoff Appearances: 8
NBA Championships: 0
Nov 16, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) reacts after being fouled as forward Zach Randolph looks on in the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
One of the NBA’s newest franchise, the Memphis Grizzlies originally launched in Vancouver in 1995, part of a two-team NBA expansion that also included the Toronto Raptors.
The Grizzlies struggled mightily in six campaigns north of the border, winning a total of just 101 games from 1995-2001 before moving to Memphis.
The Grizzlies had their first winning season and playoff berth in 2003-04 under Coach of the Year Hubie Brown and made three straight postseason appearances before collapsing back to the bottom of the league.
In 2010-11, Memphis returned to the postseason and posted one of the biggest upsets ever, knocking off the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round and extending the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games before bowing out in the conference semifinals.
The Grizzlies’ deepest playoff run came in 2013, when they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time before being swept by San Antonio.
Spanish brothers Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol have been All-Stars at different times in Memphis, with Marc Gasol earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012-13. That was also the season the Grizzlies set a franchise record with 56 regular-season victories.
Pau Gasol, meanwhile, was the franchise’s lone Rookie of the Year award recipient in 2001-02.
Lionel Hollins, who had two different tenures as an interim coach before landing the job on a full-time basis 43 games into the 2008-09 season, is the winningest coach in franchise history, going 214-201 in parts of seven seasons that included 1999-2000, 2004 and 2009-13. His teams were 18-17 in the playoffs.
Memphis Grizzlies Career Leaders (as of 3/9/2016)
- Games, Mike Conley, 637
- Points, Pau Gasol, 8966
- Rebounds, Zach Randolph, 4934
- Assists, Mike Conley, 3578
- Steals, Mike Conley, 963
- Blocks, Pau Gasol, 877
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 13: Pau Gasol #16 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on January 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies Retired Numbers
None retired
Memphis Grizzlies Official Links
Official Team Site: nba.com/grizzlies
Official Twitter Handle: @memgrizz
Official Facebook Page: Memphis Grizzlies
Official Instagram Page: Memphis Grizzlies
Official Arena Page: FedEx Forum
Memphis Grizzlies Beat Writers
Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Related Memphis Grizzlies Blogs and Links
Memphis Grizzlies Logo History, courtesy of Chris Creamer’s Sportslogos.net
Salary Page: Memphis Grizzlies Salaries at Spotrac
FanSided Memphis Grizzlies: Beale Street Bears
SB Nation Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzly Bear Blues
ESPN TrueHoop Memphis Grizzlies: 3 Shades of Blue
HoopsHabit Memphis Grizzlies Archive: Memphis Grizzlies
Bleacher Report Memphis Grizzlies Team Stream: Memphis Grizzlies
RealGM Memphis Grizzlies Page: Memphis Grizzlies
Stats and retired number information courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com
