Memphis Grizzlies: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

5. Bryant Reeves (C) — No. 6 pick in 1995 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Grizzlies, 1995-2001):  395 GP, 12.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 47.5 FG%, 7.4 3P%, 70.3 FT%

The Grizzlies’ first ever draft pick was a big man from small-town Oklahoma.

Bryant Reeves, a.k.a. “Big Country,” spent his entire six-year career as the Vancouver Grizzlies’ main man in the middle. He made his name as an all-conference player at Oklahoma State. Reeves raised his draft stock by leading the Cowboys to the 1995 NCAA Final Four.

Reeves made a name for himself in his – and the Grizzlies’ – inaugural season. He averaged 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, which was enough to earn him All-Rookie Second Team honors.

He continued to improve over the next two seasons. Reeves averaged 16.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game from 1996-98. He also shot 50.4 percent from the field over that span.

However, that improvement was derailed by the 1998 NBA Lockout. Reeves gained 40 pounds over the extended break. He worked some of the pounds off as the season began, but he went down with a knee injury 25 games into the shortened season. Reeves’ production dropped significantly from there. He averaged 8.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game from the lockout year through the 2000-01 campaign.

Reeves attempted to move with the team to Memphis. However, he could barely get through the preseason due to chronic back pain. He retired midway through the 2001-02 season without playing a game in Tennessee.

Bad decisions during the 1998 lockout caused a chain reaction that forced a promising career to end early. However, Bryant Reeves’ early production set the foundation for the lineage of centers that have delivered over the years for the Grizzlies.