Memphis Grizzlies: Ranking the Best Players by Position in Team History

The Memphis Grizzlies were born more than half a continent away, in another country, and are one of the youngest franchises in the NBA. In the mid-1990s, the NBA made a two-pronged push into Canada, granting a pair of expansion teams that would begin play in 1995-96. One was the Toronto Raptors, the other the Vancouver Grizzlies.

The team had a building, the brand-new General Motors Place (now known as Rogers Arena). But what it didn’t have was a solid foundation. The NBA’s terms for the 1995 expansion were difficult—the two new entries would not have top five draft picks to start, would not be eligible for the top pick in the draft for three seasons and would not have the full salary cap allotment for two.

Vancouver won a coin flip with Toronto and opted to take the sixth pick in the NBA Draft, which meant the Grizzlies would select second in the expansion draft. Their first selection was New York Knicks point guard Greg Anthony. Other notable players in the expansion draft were Charlotte Hornets big man Kenny Gattison, Indiana Pacers guard Byron Scott, Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Gerald Wilkins and New Jersey Nets center Benoit Benjamin. The team’s first draft pick, at No. 6 in the first round, was Oklahoma State center Bryant Reeves.

After the 1998 lockout, attendance flagged for the struggling Grizzlies—who topped the 20-win plateau only twice in six seasons in Vancouver. In 2001, new owner Michael Hensley studied possible moves to Las Vegas, New Orleans, St. Louis, Anaheim, San Diego, Buffalo and Louisville before settling on Memphis.

Upon arrival in Memphis it was a case of new city, same old Grizzlies. Memphis set a franchise record by winning 28 games in 2002-03, but it was that season that Hubie Brown left the broadcast table to return to coaching. Brown hadn’t been on an NBA sideline for 15 years, but in his first full season led Memphis to a 50-win season, the franchise’s first playoff berth and won Coach of the Year honors.

The Grizzlies made the playoffs for three straight seasons under Brown and successor Mike Fratello, but tumbled back to 20-win oblivion in 2006-07. Lionel Hollins became coach in 2008-09, replacing fired Marc Iavaroni at midseason, and went on to lead the Grizzlies to new heights, capped in 2012-13 with a franchise-record 56 wins and a first-ever trip to the conference finals.

In all, the Grizzlies have made the playoffs just six times in 19 seasons and their .383 winning percentage is the third-lowest among active NBA franchises, ahead of only the Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte Bobcats.

So who are the best players by position in the history of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise?

NOTE: Players must have appeared in 250 regular-season games with the franchise to be considered for this list.

Small Forward: Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1996-2001)

Shareef Abdur-Rahim, shown on this 1999 Topps card, was the first star for the Vancouver Grizzlies.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim joined the Grizzlies for their second season in Vancouver after being taken third overall in the 1996 NBA Draft out of California.

Abdur-Rahim was an All-Rookie first team selection in 1996-97, but suffered through being the best player on a dismal team. In five years with the Grizzlies, Abdur-Rahim averaged 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

Abdur-Rahim is the franchise’s second-leading rebounder with 3,070 and is also third with 7,801 points, fourth with 416 steals, sixth with 1,081 assists and 374 blocked shots and eighth with 375 games. He is the franchise record-holder, averaging 20.8 points per game and is also the franchise leader at 38 minutes a game. He is third with 8.2 rebounds per game, sixth with one blocked shot per game and eighth with his 80.1 free-throw percentage.

He also holds the franchise single-season record with 1,829 points in 1997-98 and a 23 points-per-game average in 1998-99.

Here some highlights from Abdur-Rahim’s career:

On draft night in June 2001, Abdur-Rahim was traded with Jamaal Tinsley to the Atlanta Hawks for Pau Gasol, Brevin Knight and Lorenzen Wright. He also played for the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings and retired in September 2008.

Apologies to: Shane Battier, Rudy Gay.

Pau Gasol (16) was NBA Rookie of the Year in 2001-02 after being acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in a draft-night trade. (Flickr.com/Rob Unreall)

Power Forward: Pau Gasol (2001-08)

Obtaining the rights to Spanish big man Pau Gasol meant trading the franchise’s star player, but the Grizzlies never regretted the move. On draft night in June 2001, Gasol—who was taken third overall by the Atlanta Hawks—was acquired along with Brevin Knight and Lorenzen Wright with Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jamaal Tinsley going to Atlanta.

Gasol went on to begin the Grizzlies’ first-ever All-Star when he was selected in 2006. He was also the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2001-02. In parts of seven seasons in Memphis, Gasol averaged 18.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game.

Gasol is the Grizzlies’ all-time leader with 8,966 points, 4,096 rebounds and 877 blocked shots. He is also second with 476 games and fourth with 1,473 assists. He is also the franchise’s leader with 1.8 blocks per game and his 18.8 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game are second in team history. His 21.6 player efficiency rating is also the franchise’s best and he is the franchise’s career leader with 53.8 win shares.

Gasol is the single-season record holder for the Grizzlies with 169 blocked shots as a rookie in 2001-02 and 2.1 blocks per game in 2006-07. His 24.1 PER in 2006-07 is also the franchise’s best mark, as is his 5.6 defensive win shares and 12 overall win shares in 2005-06.

Here are some highlights from Gasol’s time as a Grizzly:

In February 2008, Gasol was dealt with a 2010 second-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 and the rights to a young Spaniard named Marc Gasol … Pau’s younger brother. Gasol remains with the Lakers.

Apologies to: Zach Randolph, Stromile Swift, Hakim Warrick.

Marc Gasol was considered a throw-in in the 2008 deal that sent his brother, Pau, to the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s gone on to become an All-Star and is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year. (Photo/Flick.com)

Center: Marc Gasol (2008-present)

Marc Gasol was considered a throw-in as part of a February 2008 trade that sent his older brother Pau to the Los Angeles Lakers along with a 2010 second-round draft pick and brought Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010 to Memphis along with the rights to Gasol, the Lakers’ second-round pick (48th overall) in 2007.

Gasol came to the Grizzlies from Spain in 2008 and quickly turned into a franchise cornerstone. He was an All-Star in 2012 and was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13. He was a second-team All-Rookie pick in 2008-09 and was second-team All-NBA and All-Defensive in 2012-13, as well.

In five seasons in Memphis, Gasol has averaged 13.3 points, eight rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots per game while shooting 52 percent from the field.

Gasol is the third-leading rebounder in franchise history with 3,015 and is also third with 595 blocks. He ranks sixth with 5,013 points and seventh with 1,030 assists, 348 steals and 377 games. His 52.0 field-goal percentage is the best in franchise history and he is second with 1.6 blocks per game, fourth with eight rebounds per game and ninth with 13.3 points per game.

Gasol set a franchise record in 2009-10 when he shot 58.1 percent from the floor and his 121.3 offensive rating that season is also a single-season best for the franchise.

Gasol had one of his best moments as a Grizzly in the Western Conference semifinals this spring, hitting a big shot to help eliminate the defending conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of their series:

Gasol is signed through 2014-15.

Apologies to: Lorenzen Wright, Bryant Reeves.

Mike Miller, shown driving to the basket in a 2003 exhibition game against FC Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2005-06 and is the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in 3-point shooting. (Flickr.com/Schroder+Schombs PR)

Shooting Guard: Mike Miller (2003-08)

Before he was a sharp-shooting role player for a back-to-back NBA champion, Miller was a knockdown shooter in Memphis. In February 2003, the Grizzlies acquired Miller along with Ryan Humphrey, a 2003 first-round pick and a 2004 second-round pick from the Orlando Magic for Gordan Giricek and Drew Gooden.

Miller thrives in Memphis, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2005-06. In parts of six seasons with the Grizzlies, Miller averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range.

Miller is the franchise’s all-time leader with 737 3-pointers and is also fifth with 5,403 points and 1,221 assists, ninth with 371 games and 10th with 1,813 rebounds. His 41.4 3-point field goal percentage is the best in franchise history and he is eighth with 14.6 points per game. His true shooting percentage of 59.4 and 56.6 effective field-goal percentage are also Grizzlies’ highs.

His 202 3-pointers in 2006-07 set a single-season franchise record, as did his 43.3 percentage from deep in 2004-05. His 62.5 true shooting percentage in 2007-08 and effective field-goal percentage of 59.7 in 2004-05 are also club records.

Here are some highlights from Miller’s career-high 45-point outburst against the Golden State Warriors in 2007:

In a draft night deal in June 2008, Miller was traded with Kevin Love, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins to the Minnesota Timberwolves for O.J. Mayo, Greg Buckner, Marko Jaric and Antoine Walker. After one season in Minnesota, he played a year for the Washington Wizards and has been with the Miami Heat the last three years.

Apologies to: O.J. Mayo.

Mike Conley turned out to not be just that “other guy” from Ohio State in the 2007 NBA Draft. Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

Point Guard: Mike Conley (2007-present)

Mike Conley came out of Ohio State as “that other guy,” overshadowed by top overall pick Greg Oden—his high-school and college teammate—when he was taken fourth overall by the Grizzlies in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Suffice it to say, Conley is not “the other guy” any longer. He was an All-Defensive second team selection in 2012-13 after leading the NBA with 174 steals (he finished third in steals per game behind Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Lakers and Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves, both of whom missed significant time due to injuries).

In six seasons in Memphis, Conley is averaging 12.4 points, 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals per game.

Conley is the franchise leader with 2,420 assists and 697 steals and is also fourth with 5,415 points and 438 games and fifth with 446 3-pointers. He ranks third with 1.6 steals per game, fourth with 5.5 assists per game and 10th with a 78.8 free-throw percentage.

One of Conley’s signature games came in the 2013 playoffs, when he scored 26 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals:

Conley is signed with the Grizzlies through 2015-16.

Apologies to: Jason Williams.